Evil Divine
by PoisonousAngel
Summary: After the big fight with Electronique, Shego still has a heart of gold. But what if she missed the beam to turn her back evil? And what if Drakken found her that way? Drakken/Shego COMPLETE
1. Golden

**A/N: Oh my goodness, my very first Kim Possible fanfic. Okay, just a few things first. For this story there is no such thing as Graduation, and any other episode that happens after Stop Team Go.**** This was just a little idea I had when I asked myself a big question after watching that one. Not everything from STG will be switched around. It's all pretty intact. So, enjoy. **

_**Evil Divine**_

_**By PoisonousAngel **_

**Chapter 1**

_**Golden **_

_**W**__ow, this thing is pretty weird. And it weighs a ton! How on earth did I not fall over with this thing on my head? Hmm… some buttons on the back… Is that Rufus crawling up my leg? _Ron Stoppable fooled around, turning Jack Hench's Attitudinator around and examining everything it came with. Kim and Shego were seeing off the rest of Team Go, and his short attention span had directed him to the large helmet in his hands. _Ooooh, big red button. I wonder what it does… _

"Yeah, Kimmie," Shego said to her new friend, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I couldn't tell you this when I was evil, but--"

She saw the beam headed right for her. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion after that first flash of light. She waited for it to hit her, waited to be engulfed in that mass of red. But before she new it, her ninja-like reflexes kicked in, and she watched it flash by in front of her face as she did an impressive back-hand spring not even a millisecond before it could strike. Her legs flipped over as the last of the beam shot like a bullet now behind her. As she landed back on her feet, she let out a long breath she didn't realize she had held.

"Well," she said, pushing some of her long black hair away from her face. "That was pretty lucky."

"Ron! That could've hit her! Gimmie it before something else goes wrong." Kim reached for the helmet. Her boyfriend was always doing things like this. Just when things seemed to be under control and right, something would happen. And it was usually his fault. "We need to get it to Global Justice so accidents like this won't happen again."

Ron held it away from her reaching hands. "I can handle it. Just a little slip. Won't happen again."

Even though Kim's eyes grew wary, she nodded and pressed on button on her little Kimmunicator. "After the Global Justice stop, why don't all three of us head to Bueno Nacho? I'm starved." Her little purple Volkswagen drove itself up, and opened it's doors for them. It was times like these where she was actually proud to call Jim and Tim Possible her brothers.

"Don't you have a quiz you should be at home studying for tomorrow, young lady?"

Kim rolled her eyes playfully. "Why yes, _Miss Go_. But my mind needs some nourishment before any studying can begin."

Kim and Shego smiled at each other as they headed for the car.

Ron, still holding the machine under one arm, fidgeted behind.

"Rufus, stop crawling everywhere. I already told you this morning that I cleaned out the melted M&M's from my pants two days ago. So stop looking!" He twirled around, trying to grab the little mole rat's attention, and ended up tripping over his own feet.

Ron watched with big eyes as he saw the Attitudinator roll into the street. Rufus poked his tiny head out from his back pocket and squeaked. "Oh no."

Before Ron could stand up and run after it, a truck had already soared by at top speed and crushed it under it's large tires.

"Oh come on!" the boy yelled, and stomped his foot. "What are the chances that would happen when Kim said I could hold it!?"

After some scolding from Kim, a few mellow words from Shego, and then an 'it's okay' kiss from Kim once again, Ron was packed into the back seat, and the three of them were off for some well deserved meals at Bueno Nacho. Which would then be followed by some studying for Shego's pop quiz for tomorrow.

Kim glanced back at Ron from the rearview mirror to make sure he was buckled in, then she spared a look at Shego next to her. "So before that whole mess, what were you going to say to me?"

"Hmm? Oh that. I was just going to tell you that you've been a great friend to me, since I've never really had a girl friend like you before. It's been nice."

Kim stopped at a red light. "So you couldn't tell me that when you were evil?"

"Well what I mean is, I couldn't tell you, when I was evil, that I've never had a special bond with a girl before. I never really had many friends because of my cranky temper, and that it's just nice to have someone like you now."

Kim smiled big. Good thing that beam hadn't hit her, otherwise she'd be out of a big sister. "That's sweet, Shego. Thank you."

Shego smiled too and looked out the window. Getting hit by Electronique was definitely something that happened for the better. Now she had friends and a job she always felt satisfaction from. Well… _now_ she felt satisfaction from it. And plus, she had a hot date tonight. Her new life was definitely looking up from here on out. And nothing was going to change that.

And bonus! Stevie was taking her roller skating tonight!

—————————————————————————————

Dr. Drakken growled as he punched his fist onto the dashboard. "Nnnnhh, stupid hover car. Left! I'm turning the wheel left, you blasted machine, not right!"

This apparently, is what you get, Drakken thought as he was trying to direct the hover car one way and failing miserably, when you tamper with the controls, late at night, _trying_ to add a cloaking device to your transportation.

He grunted when he ran into a light post, causing it to fall and smash on the road below.

_Where is she?_

The thought ran through his mind for the tenth time since getting into the vehicle and searching for her. He stopped the hover car in mid air, and put a hand over his eyes to try and scout her out. He didn't know why he was searching Middleton of all places. But since their lives were always redirecting them here, he figured why not?

Shego had been missing for three days now, and he got nothing. Not a call, not a letter, not even an email, which was how _everyone_ was communicating these days. What was the use of getting Shego and himself work emails if she wasn't going to use it to tell him where she'd be heading off to!? She was definitely getting another little talk from him, this one being about how _not_ to desert your boss in his time of need!

He figured he should keep searching for her for a little while longer today. Without Shego, no decent work could be accomplished, and that was definitely going to put him in a sour mood.

Drakken sighed and slumped onto the seat. All this sidekick searching was steadily increasing his hunger. After putting the hover back in gear, he took off, already in that sour mood.

He'd go to the deli and get his own darn sandwich there.

And they had _better _have pickles!

**TBC**

**A/N: Just a little prologue for everyone. Did anybody else have that question burning in their head? What would Drakken do if he found Shego during that episode? Well I decided to make a story out of it. A Drakken/Shego one to be exact. **


	2. Worried

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 2**

**Worried**

**S**hego rushed in her little black heels as she scampered out the door, the hot coffee in her mug sloshing around, ready to spill on her red skirt if she wasn't careful. It was a little difficult, juggling so many things at one. She wouldn't be rushing off now to work if her alarm clock hadn't pathetically moved the time an hour behind, like it had been doing all weekend, and she still forgot about it last night. And if she wasn't rushing, her skirt and the thigh underneath it wouldn't be in peril of a coffee attack. And neither would the folder she was carrying in her other hand, which inside had the day's planning, and the students graded homework assignments.

It had been almost a month now since the fight with Electronique. And in that time, Shego had managed to move out of Kim's place, and into an apartment of her own which was just about 5 miles from the school. She set the mug and folder on top of her little dark green Neon - used of course since teachers were incredibly underpaid - and unlocked her door.

Staying and getting rides with Kim was great, but she was an adult. And 27 year olds did not rely on their 18 year old students for such things.

Once she gathered her things and hopped into her car, she hightailed it towards Middleton High.

She may have not had the glamorous life as a highly paid super villainess anymore, but she really loved how things were now.

Her job was great. She loved teaching the kids. And if it wasn't for the job, she wouldn't have met her lovely boyfriend. Stevie was coming over later to cook her dinner. He always did things like that for her. The kids would be surprised to know their big bad principal had a soft, sweet side that only she saw.

And her friendship with Kim was wonderful. They'd really become best friends over time. They did many things together, specifically shopping and doing girly things she couldn't do with Ron or her other friend, Monique. Monique was pulling in more shifts at Club Banana, and didn't really have a lot of time for Kim anymore.

Shego parked in her parking space once she arrived at the school. She quickly buttoned up the lower buttons on her red blouse, since she was in such a hurry before. She fluffed her hair a bit, then grabbed her things and headed for the classroom.

Monday mornings were always a little hectic for everyone, but Shego felt fine. She didn't drink anymore, since alcohol was such a horrible substance for your liver, so she wouldn't be nursing the weekly Monday morning hangover like the 10th grade history teacher, Mr. Lewis, always had at this time. She had definitely changed her life in a positive way, and was enjoying it.

Shego quickly stopped by the give Steve a little kiss before heading to her room. On her desk was a single rose, and a little note telling her how excited a certain special someone was for the dinner he'd cook tonight.

She smiled and sat down.

——————————————————————————————

"Kim… Um, I know the answer will probably be no, but do you think you could possibly - or even accidentally - tell me what you got for question 8?" Ron scurried behind Kim as they entered their high school, desperately trying to finish last nights homework.

Kim sighed. "What was it this time? The Fearless Ferret, or video games?"

"Kim, Kim, Kim. When TV Trash Heap smiles upon the public and decides to air the long awaited Ferrety Marathon for all those who have homework to watch, you drop what you're doing and watch it!"

_This, ladies and gentlemen, is my boyfriend._ "Is it _just_ question 8?"

"Yes… Along with the 7 others before that."

"Ron, there's only 10 questions!"

He blinked. "And the point of you yelling that would be…?"

"Ugh!"

Since the class that Ron had skimped out on his homework for wasn't until after lunch, Kim was trying desperately to 'talk him through' the problems while eating a lovely batch of Mystery meat. Shego had made her way to their table, her tray consisting of a salad and a banana nut muffin.

"Uh oh. Ferrety Marathon last night?"

Kim could swear her brain was short circuiting. "Yes. Could you please explain to him that it's called _home_work for a reason, Shego?"

"Shego, could you please explain to Kim that when the Ferret calls, he calls and there's nothing I can do about it?"

Shego smiled as she drank some of her water. "You two are the cutest. You put a smile on our faces, and a warmth in our hearts. Every couple should take after the two of you."

Kim and Ron stared at their friend, then went back to work.

"So, Shego," Kim began as she erased some of her boyfriends problem solving. "Big date tonight?"

"Yes. Well, not _big_ big. He's just cooking me dinner."

Ron started drawing his name is different styles all over the paper. "You know, it's been almost a month, and I _still_ think this whole 'dating Mr. B' thing is totally sick and wrong." He winced when Kim kicked his leg underneath the table. "Ow…"

"I'm sure you'll get used to the idea sooner or later. Stevie is a wonderful man. You guys just don't know him the way I do."

"Quite honestly I don't _want_ to. Ow! Stop, Kim!"

Ignoring him, Kim turned to Shego. "Well I think it's great. You're hanging out with a guy who's actually _good_ for you."

Ron looked at Kim as she began chatting with Shego. She was doing that a lot these days. Just excluding him from the conversation, or telling him he was always saying the wrong things to Shego. He had accepted the fact that she was good now, and would remain that way since the only machine that could turn her back was destroyed because of his carelessness, and he was actually relieved that Kim would no longer have to fight her anymore. But sometimes, especially times like this, he couldn't help but wish that the beam had hit her. He and Kim always did everything together, and these past few weeks, it was mostly either him, Kim, _and_ Shego, or he'd be by himself - except for Rufus of course - and the two of them would be off doing whatever it was that girls enjoyed doing when it was just them.

He would never mention any of this to Kim though. He really did love her, and to see her face light up whenever she talked about what her and Shego had done the previous day made him smile.

He just wished that she'd look like that when she told Shego about their dates.

——————————————————————————————

Once Kim _and_ Shego had successfully managed to help Ron complete his homework, and the school day was finally over, Kim was making her way towards the girls locker room for cheerleading practice. Practice had now been reduced to only Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's, but the girls didn't mind. They knew they were good, and the extra practice was only cutting into their social life outside the school.

She couldn't wait for Shego to call her later, telling her all the juicy details of her date tonight. The two of them always did things like that. She giggled softly when she remembered Shego describing the big roller skating date, and how the two of them couldn't stop laughing when Shego told her how Stevie wasn't the big skater, and that he'd fallen 15 times, and crashed into unsuspecting kids when he wasn't falling.

And even though Kim was slightly disgusted at first that the two of them were now dating, she was actually starting to feel really good about it. Mister Barkin now had a slight skip in his step that only Kim could see, and Shego just couldn't get over how his eyes still sparkled when he smiled.

While thinking about all this, Kim couldn't help but remember something she said to Shego earlier at lunch today.

"_You're hanging out with a guy who's actually _good _for you." _

Kim suddenly stopped and stared at herself in the girls locker room mirror.

She didn't realize it when she said it, but that little statement sort of had a double meaning to it.

Did she mean Barkin was good for Shego the way Ron was good for her? Or had she meant that Barkin was a good guy, whereas the main male in her life before had been evil? And why was she even thinking of Drakken now? He was nothing to her. And for everything he'd done to her in the past, he definitely did _not_ deserve to know where his former sidekick was now. She'd seen him replace her before, and there was no doubt he'd do it again. The man was too obsessed with his goal to care.

But… what if he _did_ care?

Kim shook her head and brushed the whole thing off. If Drakken wanted to find Shego then he could have… right? He had all the means to do it, and she shouldn't be letting something as silly as this bother her now.

Shego had a new life, one she really seemed to be enjoying, and Kim was immensely happy for her.

Kim quickly changed into her old cheerleading outfit. On the way out she grabbed her pompom's, and was ready to cut loose.

——————————————————————————————

The room was very dark, except for one little desk lamp giving off a small glow. The moon had been out for a while now, so the lair was totally empty for the day.

And Drakken was very, _very_ angry.

He sat at his desk, slowly drumming his tiny fingers onto the surface, and had one of the meanest glares he'd ever made on his face.

His other hand was under his chin, and he was thinking. Thinking of the best way to _fire_ Shego once he found her. Thinking of his first words he'd say to her. And thinking about where she could possibly be right this minute.

Usually when he thought about firing Shego, he'd quickly laugh at himself, understanding that there was no one else he could put up with, and how no one else could probably put up with _him_. The two of them had gotten so comfortable around each other, sometimes not even having to ask a question since they already knew what the answer would be. The only time he'd ever considered firing her was after the whole Warmonga incident. And when thinking about firing her at the time, there was definitely no silly laugh after the thought.

But somehow, they'd managed to get through that, even after a pretty bad fight and a difficult make up.

But now… he wasn't shocked one bit when no silly laugh came.

There were exceptions of course. If Shego had a death in the family was one. He knew she wasn't the type of woman to tell him such personal things sometimes, and he knew that even if it were the case, she probably wouldn't want him to accompany her to anything and be there for her like he knew he would.

And if it had to be something in the 'Good reasons for her to be gone' column, he really hoped that were the case, as heartless and cruel that sounded.

Because if were another reason she'd be gone…

Drakken stopped drumming his fingers as he contemplated other reasons why she'd been away.

She could have been kidnapped. He was sure many people held grudges against her.

She could be deathly sick. She did have a summer house in Miami that she frequently stayed at when things were slow or she was on vacation. She could be curled up on the bathroom floor, wasting away from some disease she caught… somewhere.

Drakken started to sweat a little as he thought of other reasons.

She could have been in a freak accident that had left her for the worse… He knew Shego had a weakness for fast vehicles, and she sometimes got a little careless behind the wheel.

He shook his head quickly as an image of Shego in her little red car being demolished by some oncoming semi truck flashed across his mind.

These thoughts put Drakken in a different mood. Any of those reasons could be possible. They happened everyday to others. All the more reason to stop sitting here, angry at something he shouldn't be angry at in the first place, and find her.

He was getting pretty desperate. Last night while laying in bed he had even contemplated the idea of asking Kim Possible for help. He liked to think Shego'd do the same for him. But that didn't matter now.

Drakken got out a notepad and scribbled a quick note for the henchmen when they arrived tomorrow. He would be gone for the day, and they had the day off.

He stared at the note for a few seconds and erased that last part.

He would be gone for the day, and they were to clean the lair.

Drakken smirked as he ran off to post it on the door to their lounge, then he made his way to his bedroom for a shower and some sleep.

He was going to Miami tomorrow.

**TBC**

**A/N: Yes, everyone. I do know that Kim****'s car is a Sloth. But it just looks like a VW to me, and I'm making this fic as 'real world' as possible. I'll keep it as a Sloth from now on for you guys. **

**I think good Shego would be a very humble lady, and wouldn't feel the need to have a big house and expensive car like she would want if she was still evil. So I got rid of the beach houses and sports cars, and gave her a little apartment and a used Neon. **

**Sorry about the double alerts. I desperately had to change some things. Thanks to Ninnik Nishukan for pointing them out. I thought I could live with it, but I was feeling anxious. I changed everything else you said in the process, girl. :)**


	3. Discovery

**Evil Divine**

**Chapter 3**

**Discovery**

**M**iami was a pretty nice place, Drakken thought as he soared over the city, looking down every now and then to catch little glimpses of the Florida life. He would definitely consider this place a vacation spot for him as well once he was ruler of the world.

While keeping an eye on the sky so he wouldn't crash into some building, he glanced down and watched the Floridians. There were skinny, tan women rollerblading down the sidewalk next to the beach, muscular, tan men lifting weights near a local pool, and more tan people doing what he assumed all Miami people did. Tan.

He would definitely stick out like a sore, blue thumb. Everyone here was so beautiful and…_ tan_. If Shego were here, and he really hoped she was, it shouldn't be that hard to find her, considering she was so pale and green.

He knew where her beach house was. When they'd traveled up to Canada for the whole weather machine plot she'd driven them there so she could pick up a few things. She told him it was urgent and that they were going with or without his approval, so he had no choice but to go. And then he became extremely angry when the big important thing she had to pick up was her nail file that she had left after her last vacation, and her Ipod.

After another half hour of traveling he finally made it. And like he did when he first came here, he admired how nice the place was. It was located in Miami Beach, and one of the newly constructed and custom designed Mediterranean Villa's. He could remember how braggy Shego had been about it. It faced west on a private white sand beach, and came with a dramatically Romanesque pool. He could hear her snooty voice in his head now when she'd described it to him.

Once he got inside - being a villain, he had superb breaking and entering skills - he stopped and looked around. It didn't really _look_ like anyone had been here for a while… but better make sure.

"Shego!"

His call was echoed and obviously not heard, so he began stomping through the place.

"SHEGO! Where are you? Are you sick?" He looked in every door, on the porch in the front, by the pool. He even looked in a few cabinets. "Are you hurt? You had better be, missy! I can smell you!"

Drakken stopped. Of _course_ the place smelled like her, he scolded to himself. It was her house. Duh.

He finally opened a door what he guessed was her bedroom. The walls were a soft but bold green, the curtains over the three windows were even darker, and her big queen sized bed was covered with black sheets and comforter.

He wiggled his nose once he got a big whiff of her scent. This was definitely her bedroom alright.

The first thing he did was head for the master bathroom. Since the bed was nicely made it was obvious she wasn't sleeping off her sickness. He opened that door, expecting her to be curled up by the toilet like he imagined last night, and was disappointed to find nothing. No Shego puking her brains out, no dirty clothes on the floor, no toothbrush by the sink. Nothing.

Drakken growled softly. This was really starting to annoy him. This place hadn't been lived in for a few months now. Shego wasn't here, and he flew all this way for nothing. He slammed the bathroom door and huffed over the her bed, slumping down onto it, and wondering what to do next.

Maybe she did come here for just a few minutes like when they were going to Canada. Maybe there was something in this room that would give him some sort of clue. A plane ticket, a note. Anything. He didn't really know what to do next, so he figured that would be the best option for now.

Drakken got up and looked under her bed. It was just as clean as the rest of the floor. He then walked over to her nightstand. Nothing there but a clock and a bottle of nail polish… and were those tweezers? Hmm…

Now he stood in front of her closet. As he reached for the handles he couldn't help but feel… weird about this. He was a middle aged man about to rummage through his employees closet - one of the most sacred places for a woman - and he felt like it was a little creepy.

Oh well, he shrugged, and opened it anyway. It's for the better.

Shego's closet wasn't as full as he expected it to be. There were a few outfits hanging here and there, and…

"What the…!"

Drakken's eyes widened as he pulled out a particular hanger, which held an _extremely _revealing dress. It was black. It was leather. And it was something he'd _never_ picture Shego in. It was way too short, the straps were way too skinny, and part of the chest area was ripped out to make this diagonal slash… thing!

He quickly put it back and slammed the doors shut. No, nothing in here!

Drakken exited that area, leaving the Shego-less room and closets of revealing dresses behind.

He squeezed his head, trying to _not_ think about Shego in that particular dress, when he saw some shadows moving around outside from the windows. Who the heck was here?

He stomped to the front door, all images of what happened a few seconds before long gone, and stared at the intruder.

It was a short man with a balding head and a slight beer gut. He was carelessly now hammering a sign into the sand a few feet away from the door.

"Hey," Drakken said as he walked further onto the outside porch. "Hey, who are you? What are you doing here? This is private property!"

"Not anymore it isn't," the man said with his gruff voice, unaffected by some stranger being inside the house, and kept hammering.

"What do you mean?"

The man dropped the hammer into a little pocket on his tool belt, and stood back to admire his perfectly straight and level sign. "I suggest you leave the immediate area, sir. Unless you want to be hauled away for trespassing."

"Trespassing? What… I know the owner."

The man picked up the rest of his things and began walking back to his old truck a few feet away. "There is no more owner, sir."

Drakken stomped up to the truck. "That's not possible. This house is paid for."

"I would appreciate it if you didn't get snotty with me, sir. The owner decided to sell."

Drakken held his door open so he couldn't drive off. He needed more answers. "I wasn't getting snotty! Why is the owner selling?"

"I wouldn't know. You think I can read minds? The owner is currently living in a new place. Now I'd like it greatly if you'd let go of the door. I have two more houses to go to."

"But…"

"Listen, pal, I work for the real estate company. I don't have the time to fight with the forgotten friends. Now leave the area or I _will_ call the authorities."

Drakken was flabbergasted. Shego wasn't the owner anymore? But she loved this house. "Why is she selling it?"

"Why do people sell their houses? For a number of reasons, sir. I assure you it was thought over." He began prying Drakken's fingers from the door.

"Where does she live now? Did she buy another house? Where is it?"

"That I cannot tell you, sir. Client Confidentiality. There was only a phone call made and we did what we do. Now get… away!"

Drakken stepped back quickly as the truck zoomed off, and stood there for a while as the sand swirled around him.

Shego called the real estate company? She didn't want this place anymore? Things were getting way too mysterious. She obviously wasn't here sick as a dog _or _vacationing. And he'd searched the internet all last night since he couldn't sleep, and found that there were no accidents involving anyone of her description. Every option was being ruled out, and Drakken didn't know what to do. Calling her was out. He repeatedly called her cell phone since she'd disappeared. Shego must have had about 42 missed calls from him, and 29 voice mails. He then discovered this morning that her number was no longer in service. She had canceled her phone _and was _selling her beloved beach house.

He sighed and turned around, staring at the sign that answered a big question. Shego no longer had anything to do with this house. He was here for nothing. She even left all her things behind, which was very out of character.

Drakken kicked the sign and headed for his hover car, frustrated as much as he could be right now. And the words **FOR SALE** disappeared behind him.

——————————————————————————————

As the sun was beginning to set, and Miami was coated with the lovely colors of reds, oranges, and even a few purples, Drakken scanned the beach, hoping that Shego had just sold her old beach house for a new one, and was watching the sun set.

He knew Shego had a habit of deciding to take her vacations when things were slow without his permission, and he knew it was a fat chance on figuring out when she'd be back. She always came back when he was really starting to need her. It was like she had a special timer built inside her for that particular reason. But days had gone by, then weeks, and he had to take matters into his own hands and look for her himself. This was getting ridiculous, and he needed to begin some projects. The world didn't take over itself, and the mad scientists who were out to conquer that world couldn't do so when their evil sidekicks were missing for this long.

And plus… he was very worried. He stuck by with what he said to her the day he found out she had brothers. She was part of his evil family, and he'd be there for her. But he couldn't be there for her if he didn't know where she was!

Drakken suddenly gasped and landed. There, laying on her beach chair, was Shego! Who else could the pale lady in the green bathing suit with the long black hair be?

He ran up to her, angry and happy and relieved all at once. Yes! He knew she was here! He _knew_ it!

"Shego!" His face held a big smile and his arms were wide open. But as he got closer, his smile turned into a glare, and his voice was stern and angry. "Shego! How _dare_ you leave for this long! Do you know what I've been through?! I've been looking everywhere and--."

"AAAAHHHH!"

Drakken stopped and covered his ears. When he rounded the chair to yell at Shego some more, he discovered that it wasn't her. In fact, it was an Asian lady with a ton of cellulite and huge lips, and she was screaming for her life.

"Help! This man is crazy! Call the police!"

Drakken watched as the woman ran off, her thighs jiggling as she did so, and snuck away before he could be hauled away for not only trespassing now, but aggravated stalking.

——————————————————————————————

It was now almost midnight, and Drakken had spent the whole day looking for Shego in Miami. After the incident with the Asian lady, and a quick lunch since he was starving, he called up the real estate company, and tried to find out where Shego was living now. The only think they could tell him was that she used to live some place in the Caribbean, and that they couldn't share her new address with him. He even asked for a new phone number that he could call, but that was denied as well.

As he entered the lair, Drakken was tired and grumpy. He got sunburn on his face, sand in his boots, and he swore he was going deaf in his right ear from all the talking he did on his phone, _trying_ to get some sort of answer to where she could be.

The only thing that lifted his spirits, if only just a teeny bit, was the fact that the henchmen actually did something right for a change, and cleaned the lair like they were told.

Since he wanted to keep those slightly lifted spirits for just a little bit longer, he decided to walk around the lair and see what a good job they did. He had such a crummy day, so any form of cheerfulness was like gold right about now.

The desks were shiny, the countertops were spotless, the floor was sparkling. He even smiled a little at the sight. Who knew his lazy henchmen could be so… not lazy!

This was wonderful! This was fantastic! He could smell the clean scent of lemon! He even…

Drakken clenched his teeth together so he wouldn't lash out on the closest thing to him. Those stupid, irresponsible, _lazy_ men swept all the dirt from the floor in the crease by the wall!

He growled loudly as his fists squeezes together. He knew his knuckles were white and he could feel his fingernails digging into his hand.

_That's it!_ He was _firing_ those stupid henchmen! He was _firing_ that good for nothing Shego! He was going to egg and toilet paper Dementor's lair! He was going to draw fake glasses on Kim Possible's face with permanent marker the next time he captured her! He didn't care! _He'd had it!_

Drakken started yanking on his own hair as his frustration and anger simmered from his body. He stared at the dirt piles, and wanted to shove every last person's face in it that was annoying him that second. He wanted to…

He stopped rampaging as an idea came to mind. He thought over it some more, and thought it was brilliant! Why didn't he think of this sooner? He could have saved a lot of unnecessary pouting and anger.

Shego was selling her Miami house. So people would want to buy it!

Since he was so tired and sleep deprived, nothing seemed better at that second then bursting with evil laughter.

And he did just that as he scurried to the phone.

Drakken sat at his desk and dialed 411. Once he got the number he needed, he sat back and let his plan begin. It was late and there was no doubt he'd be waking one of them up, but at that point he didn't care if he was interrupting a funeral service.

"…Ugh… Hello?" There was a long yawn that made Drakken smirk. "Go Tower."

"Yes, hello." He made his voice annoyingly perky, just so the kid on the other end could understand him properly. "My name is Mister… uh…" He looked at the dirt piles and saw a wrapper. "Mister Twinkie. I'd like to speak to a Miss Shego if you don't mind."

Drakken knew she wasn't there of course. He'd already checked into that. But he knew this kid would tell him the information he needed.

Whichever brother he was speaking to yawned again. "Sorry… She doesn't live here anymore."

"Oh that's too bad. Because I understand that she has a lovely home in Miami that she just put up for sale. Is this Hego I'm speaking with?"

"No… Hego's asleep… This is Wego." Another yawn. When did these kids go to bed? It wasn't that late.

"Right." Drakken said, trying not to giggle and give everything away. It was one of the little twins! They were too naive and young to be cautious! "Well I was just really interested in purchasing her home. Double the price she's asking."

"Oh yeah… Shego told us about that."

Drakken almost lost his cool and about yelled at the kid, demanding to know where she was after that. She _told_ them? Since when does she associate with her brothers? "Uh, right. Well you see, I love the house. And I was wondering if you knew where I could get in touch with her. It's very important."

"Hmm… I guess so. But she didn't get her new house number yet. If it's that important then just call Kim Possible. She'd know exactly how to get a hold of her. She even helped Shego pick out the apartment. Kim has a website and…"

Drakken put the phone down and hung up. He calmly folded his hands together, and looked out at nothing.

As the seconds ticked by, Drakken just sat there.

His hands were clenching together so hard they started to shake. His lips were pursed together so tight, it was actually hurting his sunburn. His breathing had stopped, and he could feel his chest tighten up with the need for air.

So many emotions rushed through him at once. He didn't know what was winning. Betrayal kind of, followed closely by confusion and anger. Everything around him was one big blur.

Drakken took a big breath and let it out slowly.

Shego was in Middleton.

Shego was with Kim Possible.

**TBC**

**A/N: I don't know about you guys, but I love reading about Drakken in Shego's room. Especially finding something provocative in her closet like a certain leather dress. Hehe, I'm a silly girl. I could see her having a dirty little secret like that in there. And Drakken just happens to find it. **


	4. Excluded

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 4**

**Excluded**

Once the clock had struck 4 in the afternoon, Shego closed the door to her classroom and headed for the exit. The only sound in the hallway was the clicking of her red pumps, since everyone had already left an hour ago. She had to finish up a few things before leaving, and she couldn't have been more thankful at the moment to see the big, flashing letters that read **EXIT**.

She really did love to teach. Sure, the kids acted up every now and then during one of her lectures, and yes, they did complain a lot when they didn't get at least_ two_ movies to watch in the week. But they were just kids! Shego told herself. She was sure all the teachers were going through what she was, and that it was just a phase, since she was still sort of new.

She thought that maybe she should apologize again to Bonnie Rockwaller in her third period. The poor girl's parents were going through a divorce, and if one of them needed to interrupt the class with a phone call to Bonnie, then that was alright. It was wrong of her to kindly ask her student to put the phone away. Bonnie told Shego her mother desperately needed some advice about lawyers, and that she could just continue teaching while she took the call.

But why on earth would Bonnie twirl a strand of hair around her finger during the phone call while smirking, and refer to her mother as 'baby'?

Shego shrugged as she reached for the door to open it. Oh well, she thought. She wanted to help Bonnie, and keep her happy.

Just as she was about to exit, the very girl she was just thinking of called her name from behind.

Shego turned around and saw Bonnie trotting towards her in her cheerleading outfit.

"Miss Go! I'm so glad I caught you."

Shego put on a big smile, the one she gave all her students, and greeted Bonnie with nothing but kindness. "Hi there, Bonnie. I was just about to leave. What do you need?"

"I was just going to thank you again for letting me take that call earlier. Mama was very upset. I'm just so thankful to you for letting me calm her down."

Shego stared at Bonnie for a few seconds before answering. Bonnie hadn't really seemed like she was trying to calm down a hysterical mother. The whole conversation sounded like… the complete opposite. "Um… Sure! You're welcome… So everything's okay now?"

"Oh yes." Bonnie pulled out a mirror from the purse slung over her shoulder, and inspected her face while speaking. "I'm just going to meet her now." She puckered her lips, and made kissing noises. "Just to let you know, Miss Go, calls like that might be a little frequent for a while. The poor woman just doesn't know when she'll need me."

Shego gave Bonnie another little smile when she looked at her. "Oh well… If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me. That's what I'm here for."

"Oh believe me, Miss Go. I definitely will." Bonnie put her mirror away, and fluffed her hair. "Oh, and I won't be in class tomorrow. Is that okay? Mama wants to take me to an early lunch. She's very lonely nowadays ever since my sisters moved out."

"Oh… Okay. Do you want me to tell the rest of your teachers for you?"

"That won't be necessary. She'll pick me up after second period, and drop me back off in time for forth. So I'll only miss one class! I'm really taking this whole school thing a little bit more seriously now. Don't miss me too much tomorrow!" Bonnie walked in front of Shego and headed for her car. "Oh, and, Miss Go, those red shoes are so adorable. See ya!"

Shego watched Bonnie zoom off, and couldn't help but think how strange a relationship her and her mother supposedly had.

——————————————————————————————

Once Shego finally got home, she pulled off her pumps and set all her schoolwork on the table. She had a horrible urge to shout "TGIF!" but thought better.

The week had gone by pretty slow. But it didn't really matter to her. She was quickly becoming friends with many of the teachers and other staff, and everyone was just so pleased that Mister Barkin had found someone that hadn't already dumped him in the first week of dating because of his harsh attitude. Shego told everyone that he had a sweet side to him, but they just looked at her funny once the words were uttered. So she quit saying it.

Shego entered her bedroom, which was nicely decorated with soft pastel colors, and changed out of her teaching clothes and into something a little more comfortable.

Monday night's dinner date with Stevie had gone wonderfully. They celebrated their one month anniversary, and he had cooked her a delicious - and romantic - Italian dinner. Everything had gone well, except when it came time for Stevie to say goodnight.

He wanted a kiss, and she gave him one. She liked the feeling of his big hands on her back and his manly chest in front of her. And just as she was about to say good night to him for the second time, he'd politely asked if he could possibly stay the night.

Shego could picture her blank stare as she looked at him. She had a horrible urge to laugh, but easily tucked it away. She could also remember how embarrassed she was when she had to explain to him that she was living a different life now, and things like that would take time. A _lot_ of time. She didn't feel comfortable enough with him just yet to allow such a thing, and she felt extremely bad that she didn't really want him in that way right now. It didn't seem right.

Maybe she should talk to Kim about it. Kim knew she was weak when it came to relationships, and maybe her friend could help her figure out what she was supposed to do.

While thinking of her, Shego scurried to her phone, and quickly dialed the Possible's house number.

——————————————————————————————

"I'm telling you, KP, the movie got great reviews. Everyone clicked on Go See It! I'm so excited!" Ron giggled as he dumped some gummy bears into Rufus' food bowl. Once his pet began to eat, he then started the task of picking up all his dirty laundry that were carelessly tossed everywhere in his room.

"Yes, Ron, I know. You've been talking about nothing else the whole week." Kim sat at her computer desk, playing a random puzzle game with the phone tucked between her shoulder and cheek as her boyfriend once again told her how psyched he was for the movie they were going to see later tonight. "It should be fascinating."

"Kim, if sarcasm was liquid, slimy green fluid would be leaking out of my phone and onto my dirty clothes."

"It's a movie about a mutant elephant!"

Ron tossed random items of clothing into the hall as he rolled his eyes. "And how many movies have you seen that involve such a plot? Hmm? I believe the answer would be a big, fat none."

Kim sighed. "Alright, alright. But you owe me. Next week we're seeing a chick flick and after this oh so wonderful movie we're going to spend the rest of the mall hours shopping at Club Banana. We're finally having the long awaited blow out sale on tank tops."

"Tank tops? I thought that was last week."

"No, last week was tube tops."

Ron smiled, feeling like something actually got accomplished today at the sight of his laundry-less room. He could hear his mother groaning in the other room. "I don't know the difference. If there even is one. But, man! I'm am totally freaking for this movie!"

Kim smiled a little, then closed her game when she heard a quiet beep. "Hold on, Ron. Shego's on the other line."

He frowned a little. She sounded more excited for her call waiting than she did about the movie. What _wasn't_ there to be thrilled about? "Okay… But, Kim, please remember that this is a _date_. Where only two people who are _dating_ can go. So the _dates_ can be alone."

He was already disconnected.

"Hey, Shego. What's happening?"

"I am in desperate need of some cookie dough ice cream, a Will Smith movie, and some major girl talk." Shego leaned against the kitchen counter, waiting for the water to boil so she could have some tea. She'd changed into a pair of grey sweatpants and a blank tank top as she chatted with her best friend.

"Major, huh? What's so major?"

"Boyfriend talk."

Kim was silent for a few moments and sighed deeply. Boyfriend talk really _was_ major, but… "I'm sorry, Shego. I have a date tonight."

"Oh." Kim could hear the disappointment. If there was one thing she desperately hated nowadays, it was hearing that emotion in Shego's voice. She didn't know why. Upsetting Shego was like upsetting her mother, and it was something Kim tried immensely to avoid. "That's okay, Kimmie. There's always tomorrow."

Kim lifted the phone away from her ear and stared at the tiny screen that told her Ron was still waiting on the other line. She thought over her options. "Um… Hold on just a sec." She clicked back over to Ron. "Hey."

"Kim, will you please tell my mom that labels lie? Just because it says 'hand wash only' doesn't mean it's true. Just toss it in, Mom! It's not going to shrink!"

"Ron, um… I've been thinking."

"Of course I washed it in the machine before! Jeez… What was that, KP?"

"Um…" They were good points, Kim told herself. And he was an understanding guy. Of course he was. "You've been spending a lot of time with me and Shego lately. Don't you think a good guy's night out with Felix would be a blast?" Kim cringed at the silence.

"No," he finally said quietly. "No, I don't."

"I mean… I'm really not interested in this movie. I've heard Felix talking about it too! And Shego really needs me tonight. I'll call Felix for you, if you want."

Ron sank onto his bed as he stared at himself in the mirror across from him. "But… but what about your sale? Do you want to meet me after the movie? I'll buy you something."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm probably just going to spend the night at Shego's place. And we'll just go to the sale in the morning. That way you'll get out of shopping. So it'll all work out for the better."

He could picture Kim now. She'd have a big smile on her face and think that she was doing him a big favor. If she could see him now… She probably wouldn't care even then. "But, Kim, it's Friday. Friday night's are your Ron night's. Remember?"

"Of course I do." He could hear Kim rushing about in her room, probably already packing for yet another weekend at Shego's. "But can't we just make this Friday night Shego Night? Just this once? I promise we'll do something this weekend. Just the two of us."

Ron kicked off his shoes. He wasn't going out tonight after all. "Sure."

"Thanks, Ron! Have to go now. Shego's still waiting. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!"

_Click. _

Ron tossed the phone on the floor and scooted back on his bed. "Love you too…"

Rufus crawled up next to him and softly patted his cheek. "There, there."

Of course tonight was Shego Night. Wasn't every night?

——————————————————————————————

As Shego waited for Kim to arrive, she stared at the note in her hands. When looking at it, she felt a mix of emotions. She felt some joy, and maybe a little pride. But then she also felt disheartened.

She was on good terms with her brothers now. They were all pretty close, something they'd never been before, even when she was a hero. She even visited them at least once a week, and chatted with them - mostly the twins - on the phone a lot. She had even stopped by a few days ago and cleaned up the tower for them, something she was forced to do years ago, but did it now because she wanted to, and because it would be appreciated. Well… Mego had a few complains when she didn't use fabric softener on his underwear, but that was just him.

But now she held a small dilemma in her hands. Because Hego had written her a letter, asking her is she'd like to leave Middleton behind, and come back home. Shego knew that coming back home was translation for joining the team again, and that is what made her feel saddened.

She loved her brothers. Really, she did. And she'd do anything for them. But becoming a hero again, and moving away from everything she was beginning to really love and feel comfortable with didn't seem like a good idea to her. She didn't want to leave her job, she didn't want to leave Stevie, and she definitely didn't want to leave Kim and the friendship they'd made. It was all so precious to her now, and she really hoped that Hego would understand.

She was sure he would. So she would write him back, and explain to him how she could be the sister she never was for them, but when it came to becoming part of the team once more, it was something she'd have to decline.

Shego put the letter back in the small drawer of her nightstand and headed for her bathroom to brush her hair before Kim could see the tangles. As she stared at her reflection in the mirror for a while, she couldn't help but notice how a smile - even if very faint - was always plastered on her face. She tried frowning a little, but it always broke away into a silly grin. She batted her eyelashes and inspected her teeth. She stared at her nails, and then at her hands.

She blinked when she could feel the soft, and very faint vibration in them, and had a little voice in her head - one she could barely hear at all - telling her it wanted to see those sparkling green flames. Shego wiggled her fingers, and was almost lost in the temptation.

And then the doorbell rang.

All thoughts of glowing hands vanished at once, and a huge smile spread across her face. "Coming!"

——————————————————————————————

The next day, Kim and Shego were at the mall, bravely facing the crowds that a early afternoon on Saturday would bring. Kim was wearing her lime green tank top and jean Capri's, and Shego had dressed in a pair of black jeans and a navy blue t-shirt.

Kim had called Ron earlier in the morning when her and Shego were getting dressed, and asked him how the movie was. He told her that since his room was such a mess, his mother told him that he had to stay home to clean it. She heard a little depression in his voice and - feeling kind of bad for ditching him - asked if he wanted to join in on the shopping. He declined, and said he had other things to do.

With their hands full of bags, the two girls decided to have lunch somewhere on the boardwalk before heading to their appointments for pedicures.

The Middleton boardwalk was extremely nice, and located just a few blocks away from the mall. It was mainly just a long line of small cafés, a few other shops here and there, and even a tanning salon. Kim was trying to get Shego to invest in a membership, but thought it'd be slightly rude. Maybe if she got one…

"Oooh, I know what we can do tomorrow," Shego said, giggling along as her high ponytail swished through the air. "We should go to the beach! What do you think of that?"

Kim smiled. The girl was just so… nice now. "Sounds like a plan. I need a new bikini anyway."

"And you should totally bring Ronnie along. Oh! And I'll bring Stevie! It'll be like a-."

"Oh, _please_ do not say double date," Kim groaned as the two set their bags on the ground and pulled chairs up to an outside table in front of the small coffee shop. "Ron and I forbid it."

"Oh, gosh, Kimmie, it wasn't that bad!" Shego picked up a small menu and glanced at it. "I actually think Stevie enjoyed it."

"Hmm… To each her own, I guess." They each ordered an iced latte and a bagel, Kim getting plain and Shego getting blueberry. "No double dating with Stevie."

"Well then just us three will go. The Ronster could use a tan."

Kim almost chuckled. "I don't know. He's been acting really weird. I tried to talk to him earlier but he said he had weekend homework. Ron _never_ does weekend homework on a Saturday. He barely does it on Sunday."

Shego giggled again as their orders arrived.

Kim listened intently as Shego told her about the letter from Hego she'd received, and how he wanted her back on the team. She could tell Shego felt slightly guilty about refusing them, but knew that they'd get over it.

As Shego babbled on, Kim's thoughts started to drift. Being the girlfriend of Ron Stoppable and best friend all their lives, she mastered the technique of listening to a story being told to her, and at the same time thinking of something totally different without ignoring the other person.

Kim thought of Shego and her relationship with her brothers. Having two twin brothers of her own that she could barely stand - and feeling terribly sorry for Shego since she had not only one set of twins, but two others to deal with - she knew they could get on the last nerve, and where you'd actually rather pull your hair out and die than survive another day with them. Kim didn't mean to, but she couldn't help but think what exactly had driven Shego to leave them, and pursue a career that was the exact opposite of her original life. Did she hate them? Had she always been evil at heart?

Kim wanted to slap herself. These thoughts drifted in her head at the worst possible moments, and she was sick of thinking about the old Shego when she had the new and improved version as her best friend, and sitting right across from her chattering about how much fun they'd have at the beach tomorrow. But Kim couldn't stop the slight shiver than ran through her body when she thought of the word _version_.

No big, Kim thought as she smiled at her friend. Shego was happy. And friends kept friends happy. So what if her brain waves had been flipped? Kim knew all along that Shego had a secret soft side when she'd worked for Drakken, and what better way to bring it out than sucking all the evil from her, and leaving nothing but good thoughts? Kim vowed never to think of bad Shego again, and if anyone tried to ruin this wonderful life she was building, she'd stop them. She'd keep this Shego with her no matter what. It's what her friend wanted…. _I think._

Kim flushed all thoughts away and focused back again on Shego.

"Um, Kimmie? What's wrong?"

Kim's eyes widened. She knew that sound. She'd heard it a thousand times. Before it was just annoying, now she had to do everything to get away from it.

Before Shego knew it, Kim gathered up their bags, grabbed her arm, and pulled her at a slightly running pace back to the mall.

And left the swooshing whistle of a hover car soaring above behind her.

**TBC**

**A/N: Bonnie is a bitch. There, I said it. I don't like her and I never will. So what better way to make her the head bitch then having her mess with the beloved Shego? There is no better way.**

**I've tried and tried, but I simply cannot for the life of me come up with KP-verse titles and names. So I threw Will Smith in there because I love him. **

**Yes, I know Kim's being a jerk to Ron. But don't worry. It all just goes with the flow of the story. **


	5. Evade

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 5**

**Evade**

**K**im was exhausted. After everything she'd been through in her life, the missions, the danger, the rushing from here to there in one day flat, nothing along those lines were as tiring as the last few days. She was tired, she was annoyed, she was worried, and she thought she was coming down with something. So not only was she tied, she was sick and tired.

Drakken was in Middleton. She'd heard that stupid hover car tons of times during these tiring days, and she'd even seen little glimpses here and there as she ran and hid with Shego. Wade hadn't picked up any 'take over the world' vibes from him, so his obvious task was looking for his former sidekick. And Kim was so _not_ about to let him find her.

She thought that maybe after a while he'd give up, that maybe he would think Shego was somewhere else. Either Middleton was a much bigger place then she thought and he was a very slow searcher, or Drakken knew Shego was most definitely here. Kim was banking on door number two.

Shego, of course, was oblivious. Every time they'd go out and Kim would hear him closing in, she'd grab Shego and pull her to somewhere else, somewhere away from the direction Drakken was going in. Shego just trotted along, completely unaware of who was looking for her. This was the main reason Kim was so exhausted. Her weekends now consisted of keeping her best friend out of Drakken's sight, but still managing to keep her happy and busy.

The weekdays weren't nearly as bad. Both of them had school and work, and Kim was very grateful that they were the same place. Of course Drakken wouldn't even think to look in some high school. And once school was out, Kim would try and try to keep Shego locked in her apartment, constantly having to think of things to keep Shego indoors at all times.

Kim could remember how nervous and paranoid she'd felt when they'd gone to the beach the day after Drakken had first arrived. Even though Shego had slightly complained, Kim had convinced her to keep a big umbrella over them both, because just as soon as Kim plugged some earphones into Shego's head and keep her occupied with music, that same whistle soared above them. Kim had peaked up from under the umbrella to look, and there was Drakken, scouting out the place.

She had to give him some credit though. He'd searched all the places that Kim and Shego loved to go. He must have known her a lot better than she thought he did.

As Kim laid in her bed to get a little bit more rest before the alarm to wake up and get ready for school could go off, she thought about how close exactly Drakken and Shego had been. She didn't know much of their personal life outside their villainous acts, but they must have been a lot closer that she thought. It had been days and days now, and Drakken _still_ had not given up looking for Shego. Kim figured that after a day or so he'd find someone else to be his sidekick. But that apparently wasn't the case.

Oh well, Kim thought as she turned the alarm off before it beeped to life. Shego was going to stay exactly how and where she was. It was better for her, she told herself, that little statement being her sort of motto since this whole thing began. Shego was a good person now. She was thoughtful, nice, caring, compassionate, wonderful, and happy all the time. And Kim could spend the rest of her life happily knowing she'd never have to see those freaky glowing hands anymore.

Kim groggily turned on the shower once she stepped into the bathroom, and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was dry, as well as her face, she had a zit by her ear she tried to keep hidden, her nose was stuffed and dripping at the same time, and she had dark bags under her green eyes. All this Drakken nonsense was taking it's toll on her body, and she was getting sick of it.

After some lathering, scrubbing, and soaking in the hot shower, Kim dried off and started her morning routine of actually looking presentable.

Not only did she have problems because of Drakken, but things with her and Ron weren't so good at the moment either. He didn't want to do anything with her. She tried to invite him on an outing with her and Shego, but every time he declined. He barely spoke to her at school, he almost never called her, and he'd been eating lunch basically everyday with Felix instead. She was lucky she had Shego to eat with, and occasionally Monique, otherwise she'd be by herself.

Something was definitely upsetting him. She just couldn't figure out what.

Kim dotted some foundation under her eyes and put on a little eyeliner to draw attention away from the bags. She then threw on a pair of white jeans and a red top with matching shoes, and walked downstairs for breakfast.

Maybe today was the day Drakken would finally give up.

——————————————————————————————

At his Middleton lair, Drakken stared at the computer screen with his hands under his chin. Every time the words **No Match** flashed and flashed, he only got more annoyed.

At the last villain convention, he heard a rumor was floating around at some point. When he heard it himself, he scoffed at the very idea and didn't think of it again. But considering what was going on now, he took it into consideration. The rumor had been that one of the reasons Team Possible found him and Shego so quickly sometimes was because Possible's computer kid scanned for large amounts of plasma within a certain area. And when the boy found a certain plasma signature that was Shego's, they were always busted on the spot.

He'd never told Shego of this rumor. One, he knew it was preposterous. For Dr. Drakken to be captured so easily was simply out of the question. And two, because everyone was saying that it wasn't only his incompetence that foiled their plans - which was also out of the question - but also because it was Shego's power that led Possible to them in the first place.

Shego would have most definitely been very upset by that part, and he couldn't afford any of the other villains having some sort of grudge against him and try to ruin his operations, all because Shego was _his_ sidekick, so therefore, _his_ responsibility.

So now, since Drakken was trying to find Shego, he decided to do a little scan of his own everyday - since he was just as smart as whatever the kid's name was Kim always talked to - and everyday the same result flashed in his face. Either something was wrong with the wires, or Shego hadn't been using her powers. Not even once.

Drakken leaned back in his chair and rocked for a bit as he started to think some more.

When he first found out exactly where Shego was, it took him a day or two - he'd lost track of time - to actually leave the lair and do something about it. He'd felt so angry, so betrayed, that he didn't know what to do. He didn't even know whether or not if he even _wanted_ to go look for her. She'd done what he never thought she'd do, and he was almost ready to put another ad in the Villain's magazine and look for someone new.

But while he thought and thought about that idea, a familiar feeling always interrupted whatever other emotion he was feeling at the time.

He really missed her. He didn't know how long it had been since he last saw her. He missed her even more than when she'd quit for a little while because of the whole cloning thing. He was always looking at the chair she'd sit in, in whatever room he'd be in at the time. And he noticed that in almost every room in the lair, there was always a place for him, and for her. Not only was he missing her terribly, but he couldn't help but feel… lonely.

Before he began his search, he could remember standing in front of her bedroom door. Her _real_ bedroom. The room which she lived in. He could also remember hovering his fist only an inch away, and slightly knocking, just to see, if by some miracle, she'd answer.

_I've only been sleeping, Dr. D. _

But she wasn't. And he _had_ to find her. He knew she was here, and he'd give it a few more days before he'd swallow his pride, and finally ask Kim Possible for help. It was the only thing he could think of. And if he didn't like what he found, then he'd find someone else.

But… he didn't want to.

Drakken sighed and headed for the kitchen to cook something. Most of the time at home he'd cook for him _and_ Shego. And it was boring only cooking for himself.

As he took random things out of the cupboard, Drakken decided he'd check the mall again later tonight. He'd go in and look around, preferably when the mall was about to close. Shego liked to shop at night to avoid crowds sometimes.

He knew that about her.

——————————————————————————————

There he is, Kim thought as she stood in the middle of the hallway surrounded by other students who were leaving school for the day. Ron was just carelessly exiting the building, not even bothering to see where she was, or what she was doing afterwards. Rufus sat on his shoulder and was holding his belly, obviously hungry for something other than cafeteria food.

During the classes they had together, Ron wouldn't sit next to her if seats weren't assigned. Besides Shego's class of course, since she did assign seats and he had no choice but to sit by her. She couldn't really remember what he was doing during that class. She was listening to Shego. But she was sure he wasn't paying her any attention.

Had she done something wrong? Was he mad at her?

That's impossible, she told herself, and closed her locker for the day. She hadn't done anything to make him upset with her. It wasn't her fault if every time she invited him to an outing he came up with some excuse.

Kim looked back and saw him walking further and further away.

"Hey, Ron!" She ran up to him, sneezing on the way because of her cold, and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around and widened his eyes. "Kim? Are you sick? You don't look so good."

Kim smiled big and waved her hand. "Oh, it's no big. Not as bad as last time."

"Hmm… Alright then."

He was walking away again. Kim almost panicked. "Uh, Ron! I was wondering if you'd like a ride or something? I know your scooter is on the fritz again, and maybe we… Do you want to go to Bueno Nacho? I have to go to work at 5 and we could always… You want to catch a movie or something?…"

Ron and Rufus blinked at her, then he casually reached his hand over and felt her forehead. "Are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should go home. Your eyes look weird."

"No!" Get it together, she screamed at herself. Why was she acting like this? "I mean… I feel fine. Fit as a chimp!" She laughed nervously, and knew she was making a complete fool of herself. "Um… I skipped lunch today. Maybe that's it."

Ron stared at her. Kim didn't look too well, but he'd seen her at worse times. He didn't know why she was doing this. He'd been a ticked at her after the whole ditching him thing, and thought that maybe he should let her and Shego have their time and stay out of the picture. But now… he felt kind of good that Kim was making such an effort to spend a little time with him, even while she was slightly sick-looking.

"You're right," he said, and gave her a little smile. A jolt surged through him when he saw her beam. "Naco deprivation will do that to you."

"Yeah…" Kim had an urge to kiss him, but was afraid that he'd catch whatever she was getting. A sick Ron wasn't too easy to handle. "Want to come with me?"

As Ron looked at her, he just couldn't say no thanks to those green eyes. They had a pleading look to them, and it was something he couldn't seem to resist right now. There was no use using the puppy dog pout, because she really looked like she needed _him_ right now, and not _Shego._

Ron smiled and Rufus clapped his little paws. "My lady wants some food," he said softly to her, sliding his hand into hers. "So she'll get some food."

——————————————————————————————

Kim smiled as she munched on the naco in front of her. Things were starting to feel normal between her and Ron again. Her boyfriend sat across from her, gorging on naco's and everything else he was craving for at the moment. Rufus had his little face in a tiny puddle of cheese on the tabletop, making small moans every now and then, probably because of how delicious it was.

Ron had picked up their food at the counter, but Kim had paid. She felt kind of bad about how she'd been acting, and what better way to apologize to him then treating him to his favorite place in the world? Kim couldn't think of one better reason.

Ron slurped at his drink as he looked at her. She looked extremely tired, and he felt sorry he hadn't been around for her. Coming up to him today was something he'd been wishing to happen since they stopped talking to each other, and here she was, eating with him again just like they used to.

"So, KP, how did you get sick? I didn't hear about anything flying around."

"Oh… I've just been a little anxious for a while, I guess. Nothing to worry about. Shego's been…"

Ron put down the naco that had been halfway to his mouth. "Kim?"

"Oh god, I totally forgot about her!" Kim quickly punched in Shego's number on her kimmunicator's screen. "I can't believe this. How could I be so careless? Gah!" Kim put her face in her hands when she got no answer.

"Kim… I thought…"

"No, Ron, you don't understand. I've made it a major priority to keep Shego within sight - or at least know what she's doing - at all times!"

As Kim began tidying the table Ron stared at her. What a fool he'd been to have thought the Shego phase was over. He frowned and sighed. "Why? You're not her mother."

"Why do you think I look like this!? I've been keeping track of her for I don't know _how_ long."

A big smile spread over Ron's face and excitement bubbled up inside him. "Is she turning back evil? Is that why?"

"Ron," Kim said as she rolled her eyes. "No. Of course not. Shego's good." Because he looked genuinely confused, Kim decided to explain. Maybe then she wouldn't have to do all the work by herself. Ron liked Shego too. Of course he'd help. "A while ago I spotted Drakken."

"Is he taking over the world again? Because I gotta admit that I was enjoying the break."

"No! He's looking for Shego. And we cannot let that happen. She's with us now. So I figured that maybe I could take about three or fours days keeping track of her, and you could take the rest. Trust me, he's not giving up right now and it's a full time job. I forgot to see her after school and make plans for her so Drakken can't find her. We should get over to her apartment now and see if she's there."

Kim stood and scooted out from the booth. But when she looked back, she sighed heavily when Ron was still sitting there. "What are you waiting for? Come on."

Ron sat there and stared at her. She started to feel a little anxious again, and she willed for him to say something. He was frowning, and staring at her in a way she'd never seen before. Like he was disappointed.

After what seemed like forever, he finally scooted out of the booth also, and headed for the exit, leaving all their trash still on the table. Rufus had scurried into his pocket and kept quiet.

Kim trotted behind him. "Alright, we'll stay at Shego's until 5, then I'll leave for work and you keep me posted. Shego likes to--."

"I don't care. And I'm not going."

Kim stopped. Her nose was beginning to drip again, and she could feel her heart racing. She had a nervous urge to wipe her forehead to see if she was sweating, because she couldn't really feel if she was at the moment. "What are you talking about?"

Ron ignored her and headed for the sidewalk. He put his hands in his pockets and looked down at the pavement in front of him.

"Ron, if we don't do something Drakken will find her."

He stopped and spun around to face her. The movement was so fast, Kim's head got a little dizzy for a second.

"Did you ever stop and think that maybe that's not such a bad idea?"

She didn't answer quickly, she just kept looking at him. Obviously Ron didn't care about what happened to Shego. "You don't care?"

"Kim, if Drakken is looking for Shego then why would you stop him from finding her?"

Kim opened her mouth, and nothing came out. But the words in her head just kept buzzing. _Because he's bad and she's good._

"He has a right to know where she is, Kim. You may not think so, but he does. He has more right than you, more right than me, probably even more right than her brothers."

_No, he doesn't. I'm her friend._

"You may have not noticed since you were never left with them for a long time like I was, but they were like this." He crossed two of his fingers, lacing them together. "They were like us… Well, maybe not _exactly_ like us, but in their own villainous way. They were partners. And you have no right whatsoever to keep him from her."

_I do. They don't like each other. They fight all the time. She's happy this way. _

"It's _wrong_, Kim."

_No, it's right. Shego belongs this way. She belongs with me, just like you. _

"So… If this is the new you, Kim, then maybe Drakken and Shego weren't like us anymore…"

Kim's eyes widened and she tried to swallow, only to feel a slight burning down her throat. Her body was beginning to ache, and she let out a tiny but fast breath. "What are you saying?"

Ron sighed and moved his eyes to the concrete beneath him. He loved Kim. He loved her a whole lot. And that's why these few moments were some of the toughest he'd ever have to go through. He hated seeing Kim like this, and every second was tearing him apart.

"Kim, I… I can't do this anymore." Ron swallowed, and took a step back. He kept his eyes on the ground. He didn't want to look at her. He couldn't. "I'm sorry…"

Kim watched him go as her hands started to shake. Just like that, his body got smaller and smaller. She saw Rufus turn around in his pocket and sadly wave goodbye to her.

Ron Stoppable, her boyfriend, her best friend, her partner, had just left her.

Kim stood there for a while. Ron had been long gone, but she couldn't seem to move. She reached her hands out, almost willing him to come back, but nothing happened. She didn't know how much time had passed, but knew she was wasting it. She still had to keep things right and get to Shego and find something for her to do.

Kim slowly walked to her car and drove off.

Shego was all she had now.

Once Kim made it to Shego's apartment building, she parked, turned off the car, and covered her face with her hands. She'd held it together on the way here. She had to be strong for herself and for Shego. She had to keep Drakken away.

Tears slid from behind her lids, and she opened her mouth to gasp for air. She sobbed past the clog in her throat, and all the fear and sorrow and anger that she'd kept inside for Shego's sake tore at her lungs.

And Kim cried into her hands.

**TBC**


	6. Found

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter_ 6_**

**Found**

**R**on looked up at the sky, and knew it was going to rain soon. He was never very good at predicting the weather, but right now it was very obvious. Dark grey clouds were slowly covering the sunny blue sky above, and he couldn't help but notice how the weather was matching his mood. He wanted to believe that it matched Kim's as well, but because she hadn't done anything to stop him when he walked away from her, he knew that wasn't the case.

She just… stayed there. Right at the spot he left her in. All alone. And she did nothing to prove him wrong, nothing to make him understand that she did care about their relationship, and that she'd work at the problems. And Ron didn't know how he should be handling it.

He knew life would be extremely different now. Not having his KP romantically was one thing, but now - since he had broken things off with her - he doubted there wasn't much of a friendship either.

He had never put any of his friends before her, probably because he didn't have many to begin with. But Kim was the most important thing to him, and he wished that the feelings were mutual. But Kim's obsession over Shego had destroyed what they had, and he just didn't know what to do.

There were many options of course, Ron thought as he picked up the pace and tried to get home before the rain could fall. He could call Wade and see if he could pinpoint where Drakken was, or just look around for him, since Kim had told him he was hot on their tail. He could explain to the blue villain what had happened with Shego, and where exactly he could find her.

But Ron knew that was very selfish, and the outcome would most definitely break Kim's heart to see someone she obviously cared so much about now just yanked away from her. Even if it was the right thing to do.

Ron scratched that option off the list.

On the other hand, he knew Kim was a smart girl. And once she got better and realized the wrong in all this, she'd do the right thing and bring Shego back to her true life. Ron wanted to wait for that option to happen, but every time he remembered how saddened and distraught Kim had looked when he said how wrong this was, a part of him knew that it wouldn't happen anytime soon, most likely never.

Ron felt Rufus shiver in his pocket as a big crack of thunder erupted the ground, and realized that he didn't have many options to choose from after all.

Once he finally made it home, Ron went straight to his room and crashed on his bed.

He couldn't help but wonder what Kim was doing now.

——————————————————————————————

Kim cringed as the tissue rubbed against her red nose, making it burn because of how raw it already was from constant Kleenex use.

After her crying gag, Kim had looked into the mirror to examine the damage. She didn't mean to break down like that. She'd only done so very few times in her life. And when seeing her red, puffy eyes, her red, dripping nose, and her red, clammy cheeks, she wished she'd never done such a thing in the first place. It made her already bad complexion worse.

It had been about 15 minutes, and she still hadn't left her car to Shego's apartment. She didn't want Shego seeing her this way. There was no doubt she'd make a big fuss.

Kim had already ruled out doing just that while wiping away the melted eyeliner from her bottom lids. Of course Shego would make a fuss over her condition, and no doubt be there for her since Ron ended things between them. But no matter what happened, Kim still had to go in to work at 5. She'd already taken some days off for the world saving business, and would probably be fired if asking for a sick day, even tough she desperately needed it.

So there was no use getting Shego all riled up for nothing. Kim would just have to entertain her for a few hours before Club Banana duties called her name.

Kim wiped her nose one more time, cringing again, and exited her car. She heard some thunder and looked at the sky, and hoped Ron made it home okay.

Thinking of him made her eyes water again, and she willed herself to snap out of it.

Kim knocked, and waited for the familiar cheery voice of her best friend greet her. Maybe some happy Shego time would cheer her up. She needed it terribly.

It started to rain, and Shego still hadn't answered. Kim knocked again, and even called her name, but still received no answer.

As the sky fell around her, Kim went back to the parking lot in search of Shego's neon.

She sucked in a big breath when it was nowhere to be found.

Growling softly, she dialed her number on the kimmunicator again, and just as she got in Bueno Nacho, there was no answer.

Kim sighed and whimpered softly as she headed back to her car in the rain, no doubt making her even more sick. That was just wonderful.

First, she was sick and looked horrible. Second, Ron had dumped her because she was trying to do the right thing. Then, she came to find that she'd missed Shego at home, and the girl was gone.

As Kim drove home, she began crying again because nothing seemed to be going right.

——————————————————————————————

At 5:01 Kim clocked in at Club Banana. She'd done what she could with her face, and thanked whatever was out there that it was only her and Monique working tonight. The weekdays were kind of slow, with it only being October, and many students were studying for their midterms. Kim was looking forward to just stocking and cleaning than having to deal with the public. And she got her wish.

"Oh my god, Kim," Monique said as she walked by with her arms full of jeans. "You're getting more worse as the hours go by. Did you take a nap before coming in to work?"

"No," she replied and sniffed back more of whatever was always slowly dripping from her nose. "No, I'm just a little sick. Nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure? Because if you're really not feeling well then--."

"No big, Monique." Kim took the jeans from her and headed to the front of the store so they could advertise the big sale on denim that was going on this week. "It's just a little hang up. And plus, I can't do another sick day."

"Okay… but please tell me if you're gonna barf so I can direct you to the restroom. I'll even be a sweetie and hold your hair back."

"Gee, how thoughtful of you."

Monique smiled as she put away some return receipts in a small drawer behind the counter. "Oh, BTW. Did you hear about Bonnie?"

Kim took a big breath to ease the bodily ache in before turning back around to her friend. "No. Anything juicy?"

"Well, apparently she won't be in second period _again_ tomorrow." Monique rolled her eyes at that. She had Shego's second period with everyone's favorite cheerleader, and knew Bonnie was making it a habit to skimp out on that particular class at least once a week. "She told Miss Go that her parents are going through a divorce. But me and my all-seeing eyes say different. Her parents are happily married. It's the big sister of Miss Rockwaller that's getting chucked."

Kim started rearranging hangers on a rack that needed it, moving them one by one so they wouldn't have that despised bunched up look that was against store rules. "Hmm… Blonde sister or brunette?"

"Blonde." Monique watched Kim, and noticed at she didn't seem very 'on the ball' tonight. If it were any other day, Kim would be itching to know every single detail if it involved her high school rival. "And the sad thing is, Bonnie had to take a whole week off from school about two months ago for that same sister's wedding."

"Wow." Kim tried to cover up a yawn, but failed miserably. "Bonnie doesn't even like her sisters."

"Exactly! The girl is an evil genius. I wish I could harness it and create it into something useful."

Kim stared ahead and rubbed her cheeks. _Evil genius_. She was really starting to hate those words.

"Kim, I really think you should go home. It's already 8:30. The mall will close in a half hour. I don't think you can last until 10. I can clean the place by myself."

"Oh… no, Monique. I clean and you do paperwork. I can last."

"Are you sure? I don't want you passing out or anything. You're not as light as you look."

At Monique's smile, Kim shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'm fine."

Kim hadn't told Monique about Ron, and how it was over between them. She knew that if Shego had been home, she'd tell her one way or another. But since she hadn't been, it was still unknown to the world. Kim would tell Monique, because she'd just find out eventually, and then she'd get mad at her for not telling her face to face. But right now… she didn't feel like discussing him.

"Oh, look," Monique said, and pointed out to the mall beyond Club Banana's doors. "That ought to cheer you up some."

Kim swallowed deeply - her throat was still burning a little - and her eyes widened as she looked to where Monique was pointing. She ran out of the store, not caring what Monique had to say, and almost broke down again.

"Shego! Shego, I so glad to see you!" She flung her arms around the green woman, and smiled hugely when the hug was returned. It was always returned from her best friend.

"Oh wow, Kimmie. I'm glad to see you too! I was just stopping in to see you. I knew you had work today."

"Where have you been? I've been worried sick."

"Well, sweetie, you look sick." Shego pulled Kim away and stared at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I went to the apartment to see you but you weren't home."

Shego held up a bag that had a logo of a big hairy bat on the outside. "Well, Halloween's coming up. I've been shopping around getting decorations for home and the classroom. That Spirit Halloween place by Sears has the scariest stuff! I got this candy bowl, and a hand reaches down to grab you when you try to take a piece of candy. Isn't that clever!?"

"Yeah, whatever, Shego. Hey, you haven't… run into anyone. Have you?"

Shego was looking in her bag at all the cute stuff she'd bought as she answered Kim. "I ran into lots of people."

Kim's swore her heart stopped beating. "Y-you did?"

"Yeah! I saw your little friend Tara. She was at Spirit Halloween too getting her costume. Bonnie Rockwaller is throwing some party later on in the month, and Tara's going as Tiffany from the Chucky movie. Oooh, she looked so scary when she tried it on!"

Kim nodded quickly, and never realized how distracted Shego could get. "And? Who else? No one… No one you haven't seen in a long time, right?"

"Hmm… I guess that's it. Isn't that silly?"

Kim sighed in relief. Good, she thought. No blue man surprising Shego and taking her away. She couldn't believe how nice it was to know Shego was fine. She tried not to think about it during work, because every time she did, she'd feel her body slowly shut down, like she was getting sicker.

And was a little peeved to find that she felt like she was getting worse right now, even though she was extremely happy Shego had not been found by her arch foe while parading about, completely clueless as to what was really going on.

"Yes, very silly. So what else did you--." Kim stopped talking as she looked down at Shego's outfit. "Oh wow. I _love_ it."

Shego smiled and spun around, showing off her new outfit that consisted of a long, flowing white gypsy skirt and white sandal's, and the surprising baby pink tank top. "You like? I got it online. Isn't it adorable!?"

"You _have _to let me borrow it some day."

Shego waved a hand. "Oh, of _course_, Kimmie. That's what best girls do."

Kim smiled at Shego. Then, as the thought just entered her mind, realized that she'd deserted Monique and work. "Oh… Shego, I have to get back to work now. It's getting late. Maybe you should go right on home and get to bed."

As the two headed back to Club Banana, Shego greeted Monique with a bright smile and a cheery wave. "I could wait till you clock out. I'll go to Starbucks's and get a drink. And maybe hit the first aid and get you an Advil or something."

Kim felt too tired to argue, so she just nodded and rubbed her cheeks again.

"I want to go to a few more stores, anyway," Shego chatted on, looking at the jeans Kim set out earlier. "I like to shop at night sometimes. Get away from the crowds."

As Shego browsed, Kim fixed the jewelry rack. Making sure Shego got home herself was better than just hoping Shego would go home on her own. As she put a pair of hoop earrings back in the fuchsia section, Kim put a hand to her chest. Every time she breathed in it hurt, almost like she had a tight ball on her sternum. Maybe she should have her mother do a little check up…

"Hey, Kimmie, I'm going to Starbucks now. You want anything?"

Kim straightened and turned to her friend with a smile she had to force on her face. "No thanks."

"Okay." Shego waved to Kim and Monique, then headed for the stores exit.

——————————————————————————————

Drakken growled softly as the thirteenth store he looked in didn't have Shego carelessly shopping in it. He knew it would be a stretch to actually find her, but he had nothing better to do, and hardly anyone was here at this time of night.

He did see a few nice things during his search. Why hadn't he gone to the mall before instead of just ordering his things online? It was nice to get out, especially now, since Middleton was getting cooler with every night. The breeze was refreshing, and he wondered if he should rig the whole front of his local lair with attracting Halloween decorations to lure the unsuspecting kiddies closer, only to scare them with an elaborate and frightening prank.

Drakken snickered under his breath at the thought.

He looked around, and saw that the mall was almost completely empty. There were about two or three people walking about, and they were most definitely not who he was looking for.

Oh well, he thought, and slumped his shoulders a bit. Another failed search. Might as well get some coffee for the ride back… and maybe a chocolate covered doughnut as well. _Mmm…_

Drakken stopped. His face went a paler shade of blue. His eyes went as big as they could get. And his hands balled into fists.

——————————————————————————————

Shego smiled and she walked away from Club Banana. That ever present smile she couldn't get rid of was still there, but she never thought twice about it.

Her poor Kimmie. So sick looking. What could she do? Maybe some aspirin and a nice, hot bath would make her feel better. She could stop at Bath & Body Works on the way from Starbucks and get her some soothing bath crystals. They had the best aromatherapy. Maybe she'd also stop by the drug store on the way home and get her some Vick's vapor rub for her chest.

Shego looked down and shook her bag to rearrange things, and looked back up with that same smile as she thought of what else she could do to help Kim feel better.

And stopped.

For once, in a very long time, the smile vanished. In it's place was an expressionless face. She held her breath, and felt her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel it in her head too, since all thoughts had been washed away by the shock she was feeling now.

She stared at the man about ten feet away from her. The man that was so familiar, yet so distant. His face mirrored hers, and one word uttered from his lips made her whole body shiver.

"Sh-Shego?"

Her bag and everything in it spilled onto the floor.

**TBC**

**A/N: I really hate cliffhangers. ;)**


	7. Unexpected

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 7**

**Unexpected**

**F**eeling surprised enough to leave you motionless was a feeling Drakken utterly hated. He liked knowing exactly what was going to happen a lot more than living life on the edge and being somewhat reckless with the decisions he made. But of course, there were times - just a few because he couldn't seem to recall every one - when little details of his well-thought, ingenious plans may have passed him by. But other than that, he liked planning. Surprises were just too… surprising.

Drakken knew, of course, that there were good surprises, and then there were bad surprises. As he looked at Shego now, he couldn't decide if this surprise was good or bad.

He couldn't believe this. It was just too uncanny. At the exact moment his mind was somewhere other than on his sidekick, she just happened to fall out of thin air, right in front of him. He didn't particularly care for her expression, since it was the same as his to a tee, and he was starting to feel a little anxious.

"Shego… Where have you--" He stopped in midsentence, his mouth fell open and the air whooshed from his lungs. Drakken's eyes fell from her face some, and he glanced at her chest. He thought the shock of seeing her now could top every other surprise he'd ever experienced. But noticing something about her beat that by a mile. Here was Shego, standing right in front of him for the first time in he didn't know how long.

And she was wearing pink.

Shego moved her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Shock hit her stomach, while hot little pinpricks spread up her chest to her face. She took one step back, then another.

When seeing that movement, Drakken shook his head. "Shego, what are you doing? It's me. You remember me, right?"

Looking into his eyes, she stopped. Her pinpricks spread back down her body again, and she couldn't help but feel… different. Her head tilted to the side some as she stared into his black orbs. "Dr. D," she whispered past the clog in her throat.

"What's going on, Shego? Where have you _been_? And why are you wearing _pink_!?"

She swallowed as she tried to figure out what to say. She started looking around desperately, wondering what she should be doing. She had no clue.

A loud gasp and the sound of running feet caused both pairs of eyes to turn away from the other. Shego looked slightly relieved, but Drakken turned horribly angry. The person huffing towards them was the answer to all his questions.

"_Kim Possible!_"

"Oh _no!_" Kim jogged toward them, panting slightly. The knot in her chest began to throb a little, and every breath she took made it all worse. "This can't be happening," she whispered to herself on the way. Her fingers felt cold and she shook her hands. She twisted her ankle on the mall floor which she would be embarrassed about later, but she didn't let a little thing like pain shooting up her shin slow her down. "I can't believe this," she said to Drakken, who was glaring at her with such an intensity, she could feel the warmth. "You need to go."

"You need to shut up!" he yelled, and couldn't help but notice his teen foe's complexion. "What's going on here?"

"Shego doesn't need you anymore." Kim touched her arm, and felt her slightly jump. She'd been staring at the floor, and Kim spoke softly to her. "Come on. Let's go home."

"Shego!"

That familiar tone made Shego's heart pound in her ears. She stood frozen, afraid to breath as this strange blue man looked at her, waiting for some kind of answer.

For several long seconds, Drakken simply stared at her, pinning Shego with a gaze she could feel rather than see. He was breathing a bit heavily as he pulled air into his lungs, and he slowly raised a hand to her. Across the distance she finally looked at him through the dark green eyes that made his heart squeeze and his stomach ache. His brow lowered over his steady gaze, and he began walking towards her.

With each step of his black boots, her heart pounded a little faster in her chest.

After all this time, Shego looked different to him. She looked relaxed as if she were saving her energy for something important. She looked… more colorful. Her skin didn't look as green to him. He didn't know if it was because he hadn't seen her in a long while, or because something had happened. She looked like something the old Shego he remembered never, ever used to. She looked innocent.

"Please talk to me, Shego," he said to her in a soft tone, but a stern one as well. He saw Kim staring at him cautiously while gripping Shego's arm, and seeing that small gesture almost made him explode into a blind fit of rage. "What are you doing with Kim Possible?" Even though he knew it wasn't there, Drakken spared a quick glance at her forehead to make sure no mind control chip was glued to her face.

As Kim looked at Shego - who was now staring at Drakken's boots - she held on to a desperate hope that perhaps Shego wouldn't answer him. Kim wanted nothing more than for Drakken to go away so both her and Shego could go back about their happy, non-evil lives.

Shego rubbed her lips together and moved her gaze up, and onto her former boss' face. "She's my friend," she answered quietly.

So much for her desperate hope, Kim thought.

"What? No, Shego, she's not your friend." Her voice was different, Drakken noticed. Higher. More girly and less sultry than he knew and remembered. And he heard not one trace of her ever present sarcasm. "She's… the complete opposite of your friend!"

_Of course she is. We're best friends. _

His gaze moved across her face to her pink shirt again. "Pink, Shego? Seriously, the joke is over. Now come along with me. We'll un-Possible you."

"I… don't want to go with you."

Drakken put down the arm that was held out for her. Out of all the things he expected her to say at that second, the words she spoke were what he was least expecting. "Don't be silly, Shego. Of course you're coming with me. I'm your boss."

"She said she's not going. But I highly suggest that's what you do," Kim threatened, and began pulling Shego away from him. "So go."

"_You_ stay out of this! I bet this is all your fault, Possible!"

"None of this is my fault!" Kim felt her stomach gurgle, and had to hold in the horrible urge to puke. "There is a perfectly good reason for all of this."

"Oh yes. And that perfectly good reason is that you brainwashed her!"

Kim was about to comment again, but a shake of the head from Shego stopped her. She knew her best friend wanted to handle things as best as she could now, but Kim didn't want her too. She didn't want Shego making things worse, or possibly even agreeing with Drakken and leaving with him. She saw Shego swallow hard, and kept quiet. All this yelling was making her head spin, anyway.

Shego looked into Drakken's eyes again. Her hands began to tingle the longer she looked, and she had to force herself to speak. "I'm good now…"

Both Drakken and Kim remained quiet as the whole ordeal with Electronique was explained to him. Shego tried to keep things as discreet as she could. She felt… strange talking to him. Drakken noticed she never looked him in the eye as she told her story, and the only thing he could do was stand there and listen. He didn't like what he was hearing one bit.

And even though her brain waves had been flipped and she was no longer the same person who he once knew so well, nothing stopped him from feeling upset that she'd done absolutely nothing to get back to her old self. Granted, neither did he when he'd been attitudinated, but… it was still upsetting.

After Shego was finished, and was just standing there, staring at the floor, Drakken moved his now hateful eyes to Kim Possible. "And you just let all this happen. You didn't once try to get her back to her real self."

Kim glared back, feeling no remorse because she could taste the bile in her throat. "Why would I do that?"

Drakken made a small grunt in his throat, and looked at Shego again. He no longer knew this woman. She wanted to remain this way. With her friends, and her job and her… _pink_ shirts. Fine. He didn't need this. And he was just sorry he'd wasted so much time trying to locate her.

"Consider yourself fired," he said quietly, and watched as both Shego and Kim turned around, and headed for the exit.

After a few minutes of just standing there and taking everything in, Drakken reached down, and picked Shego's bad of Halloween goodies off the floor, and decided to go home.

——————————————————————————————

Kim glanced at Shego every now and then as she drove her home. It was now very late, and both needed their sleep desperately. Shego remained quiet the whole way, and Kim saw that every now and then, she'd ball her hands into fists and squeeze them.

Kim didn't know what to make of that so she shook it off. Right now she just wanted to get to Shego's place and throw up.

She'd failed. She was careless. One little date with Ron had ended the good system she'd had with keeping Shego away from Drakken. And if there was one thing Kim hated, it was knowing she failed at something that was supposed to go over smoothly.

What would happen now that Shego had seen Drakken like this? Would it change her, or did it matter at all? Kim was sure it didn't matter. She'd known Drakken and Shego for years, and they'd never meant anything to each other, they only worked together.

_And you just let all this happen. You didn't once try to get her back to her real self_, he'd said. But Kim tried to not let it matter. Drakken was nothing to her, and now nothing to Shego. She was a good person, and better off without him.

Kim swallowed hard as she gripped the steering wheel till her knuckles were white, and looked at Shego, who was squeezing her fists again.

Had she done the right thing? Was Shego truly no longer her real self anymore?

Was she the one keeping her from that?

——————————————————————————————

Drakken scowled up at the ceiling as he laid in bed. The fan above was spinning about, making his hair whoosh through the small gusts.

Shego was no longer in his employ. That was just fine with him. He'd worked without her before, and he'd do it again. She could have her fancy life with Kim Possible. He no longer wanted to be in it.

First thing tomorrow he'd fly himself back to the Caribbean lair, and prepare for a new ad in Villain's magazine. It was time to get a new sidekick/assistant. And the next person would be a whole lot better than both the good, and bad Shego. He'd make sure if it.

_I'm sorry_, she'd whispered to him when she was done telling her story, but she was probably just being polite, like he assumed she was now.

Not that he cared.

**TBC**


	8. Ache

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 8**

**Ache **

"**A**lright, let me see if I've got this right. And please don't hesitate to tell me if I'm wrong, but you're a carpenter who wants revenge on everyone because some old woman didn't pay you enough for a kitchen job, and your big villain shtick is attaching about ten hammers to your ratty tool belt, with which you threaten people into giving you money so you can finally be paid for all your hard work?"

"Um… Yeah, that about sums everything up."

Drakken stared blankly at the dirty man standing in front of him who obviously didn't realize that hygiene was very important, and that checkered shirts with suspenders made him look more like Paul Bunyan than a villain. More than anything, Drakken simply would not allow someone whose villain name was 'Lumberjack Bill' on his team. Not in a million years. And a day.

"I'm sorry. Perhaps the IHOP in Michigan has an opening. NEXT!"

Lumberjack Bill slumped his shoulders and headed for the exit. Once he was gone, Drakken pulled out a can of air freshener from under the table and sprayed the surrounding area with the lovely scent of lemon. He knew well enough during interviews like this that approximately two cans were required. There were some strange people out there.

He sighed afterwards, and crossed out Bill's name from the sheet of paper in front of him. It had been almost three weeks now, but he finally got enough people to arrange a full day interview. He found it was better and faster than having just three or four people come in each day. He'd seen at least 15 others, and not one was worthy to be his new sidekick. Especially Lumberjack Bill.

The sound of a high pitched whistle brought his eyes back up, and Drakken was shocked to see a smiling clown walk in. Big red nose and all.

The clown pulled out a big horn, and a huge pink flower he was holding out to Drakken in the other hand_. Honk, honk._

Another blank stare appeared on Drakken's face, but this time he simply pointed to the door and said, "Get out."

Drakken looked down at the name sheet and scratched out Jippers the Clown with a lot more force than poor Lumberjack Bill.

This was all Shego's fault! It is wasn't for her, he wouldn't be here seeing all these freaks, trying to find someone to replace her. It was also Kim Possible's fault, that stupid girl. She should have let her morals kick in a lot harder and realize that Shego needed to be changed back to the person she truly was, but she was just being selfish.

No matter, Drakken thought, after seeing yet another unworthy interviewee. He'd find someone better than Shego and Kim Possible put together. Kim Possible will have a much harder time with the new person that she did with Shego, and Shego would get extremely jealous, and probably come back. But he wouldn't let her because of how good the new sidekick will be.

"In your face, Kim Possible and Shego," he muttered under his breath.

At the end of the day, Drakken stared at the two resumes in front of him on the table.

He'd seen about 30 people, and only _two_ were eligible to be his new sidekick. That didn't really put him in the best of moods, but at least he had something to go by. Two was better than nothing, and Drakken had to admit they were pretty good choices.

The first was a platinum blonde biker chick who simply called herself Smoke, and was known highly in California for violence and vandalism. She said she didn't have a lot of experience when it came to fighting kung fu style - and Drakken told her that's what it was going to take to at least wrestle with Kim Possible - but she did have mad skills when it came to hitting stuff with chains. She put a big crack in the floor as a demonstration, and Drakken knew he wasn't going to enjoy sitting down to pay some bill to have it fixed.

After much thought, he decided Smoke was way too Ghost Rider for him.

The second choice was much more appealing. Drakken figured the Hawaiian beauty that stepped through the door was lost or had gone to the wrong interview, but after a few questions, he found that she was at the right place. Aluna not only had the fierce attitude, but she told him she was also a master at Kajukenbo, a Hawaiian martial art. She also had some experience in the villain area, and Drakken was very pleased to know that she was once a heanchwoman for Professor Dementor, but quit within a week because of some stupid scheme that involved a cocoa maker. She told Drakken that she'd rather use her skills to help take over the world, and was not going to waste her time with hot beverages.

After about an hour of bickering over her pay, Drakken finally told Aluna she got the job and could move in as soon as possible.

Aluna would be totally better than Shego, he told himself as he entered his room. She would definitely be sorry this whole thing with whoever the electronic villain was happened, and would be begging for her job back in no time.

Drakken suddenly frowned a little. He still had her bag of Halloween decorations sitting on his dresser. He looked inside it again and stared at everything she'd bought. Maybe he should return it? Halloween was over already, and he didn't want to face her by returning it sooner. And she did use her own money for it.

A little voice in his head told him it would be a good excuse to see what she was up to, even though he didn't need her anymore.

But… still.

——————————————————————————————

Back in Middleton, Shego was in her bathroom wondering what to do with her hair. It was getting pretty cold outside, and she didn't know if she should tie it back, or just leave it down.

After deciding to just leave it be down her shoulders, Shego's thoughts traveled elsewhere.

Kimmie's health wasn't looking any better than it had been. The poor girl was looking worse after each day, and Shego was starting to get very worried. Kim had said her mother checked her out, and everything seemed alright. Nothing life threatening, is what Kim told her. But still Shego worried.

After the night Drakken had found her in the mall, neither said another word about it. Shego couldn't help it, but she actually wanted to talk about it with Kim. But as she remembered what her friend looked like that night, maybe it wasn't the best idea. And Shego didn't know why she wanted to talk about it in the first place. Drakken was evil, and she was good now. So their past together didn't matter one bit. Everything had changed for the better.

At that thought, Shego felt her hands aching again. She closed her fists and flexed her fingers to make it go away, and after a while it did. They'd been doing that ever since the night with Drakken, and Shego didn't know what to do to make the ache go away permanently. It was unpleasant, but it was something she could live with, she supposed.

Shego stared at herself in the mirror, and a weird feeling washed over her. She couldn't stop staring into her reflected eyes, and somewhere in the distance she heard her door open and close.

"Shani, I'm here. Where are you?"

She knew that voice, and didn't know what to make of the sudden disappointment that she felt. It was very little, but disappointment all the same. Usually when she heard that voice, she erupted in happiness and would rush to the foyer.

But, quite unusually, not this time.

"Shani! Hello?"

Her real name. He was the only one who used it. Usually she loved to hear it from his lips. She'd sigh happily and gaze into his eyes. She felt safe and wonderful and excited all at once.

_Why did he look at me like I had three heads? _Shego could see Drakken's face now, and how appalled he looked. He never looked at her that way before.

Without knowing it, Shego's feet made her exit the bathroom and head to the living room, where her guest was waiting.

_Why are my hands hurting? _

"Shani!"

"WHAT!?"

Shego quickly covered her mouth with both hands. Stevie was at the door, staring at her with his mouth agape, looking completely surprised.

Oh wow, she thought, swallowing and trying to build up the courage to apologize to him for screaming like that. She'd never yelled at him that way before. Who knew what he must think of her now. Shego felt mortified.

"Uh…" he said cautiously, looking around to see if anyone else was here. "Am I interrupting something?"

Shego quickly shook her head and removed her hands from her face. "Oh no. I'm so sorry, Stevie. It's just… I was doing my hair and… you know how some days it just doesn't want to corporate." She laughed nervously and walked up to him. "I didn't mean it. Just a little slip."

Barkin smiled and pecked her cheek. "Your hair looks fine."

Shego smiled back and squeezed her hands into fists. Now they were really aching, but she didn't dare say anything to Stevie.

Maybe the ache would go away during their lunch date.

——————————————————————————————

As the days went by, Kim wasn't feeling any better. She took all kinds of aspirins, had almost every towel soaking wet on her body, and drank only water, hoping to flush out whatever was keeping her sick. And yesterday, it all became much more worse.

While brushing her hair one morning, she spotted grey hair. Not just one, but not a full head either. But they were scattered all over her scalp. And no matter how many times she plucked them, they kept coming back. Like stinkin' cockroaches.

Just as she was about to scream in frustration when finding yet another one in her mirror, the sound she really didn't want to here right now beeped to life.

Kim pressed the button on her Kimmunicator, and saw Wade smiling at her.

She wanted to slap that smile right off his adorable face.

"Yes?" she groged, and sniffed back some fluid running down her nose.

"I see the beauty sleep hasn't been doing it's job."

"I'm so not in the mood, Wade. Do you have any idea the kind of pressure I'm on right now?"

Wade grinned. It was oh so much fun to mock her. "Oh yes. Plucking grey hairs takes so much energy. Did you know that for every one you pluck, another seven grow back?"

Kim gaped, and almost couldn't find the urge to speak. "Wha… Thanks for telling me sooner! I'm gonna look like Nana tomorrow!"

She wouldn't cry, she told herself. Even though she desperately wanted to.

"Sorry, Kim. But Drakken's back in business."

Kim sniffed again as she brushed her hair back. "How is that even possible? He knows he can't accomplish anything by himself. Even with Shego he barely accomplished anything."

"Well, word on the villain street is that he's got a new girl."

Kim blinked. This day just kept getting better and better, didn't it? "A new girl? Ugh… Fine. What's happening?"

"Money problems. Everyone's got 'em, and so, apparently, does Drakken. He's in New York hitting every top notch bank. He probably just needs fundage for his new take over the world scheme."

Kim raised an eyebrow as she got out her mission clothes. "Fundage? What's fundage?"

"It's a Ron word."

"Figures." At the mention of his name, Kim always felt a stab of pain. She only saw him at school now, and it hurt so bad to know that they weren't as tight as they'd always been.

"Oh… I'm sorry, Kim."

She shrugged. "Whatever…"

"If you ask me, this whole fight is pointless. He shouldn't be so sensitive, and you should give him more time with you."

Kim really wished Wade would change the subject. She would rather talk about Drakken, but every time she talked to Wade, this was always the topic that just _had_ to be brought up somehow. "Do you talk to him much?"

Wade nodded. "Sometimes. He'll come over for homework help every now and then, and some days I'll call to check on him. But that's about it."

Kim sat on her bed. She couldn't believe how much she missed Ron. Bueno Nacho takeout didn't taste right anymore. "Is he doing okay?"

"I guess. For the most part. I can tell he misses you."

"Yeah well, the feeling's mutual."

——————————————————————————————

Time went by, and Kim had faced Drakken and his new henchwoman, Aluna, a couple more times after she foiled the money heist. She had to admit, the girl was good, and once Kim got better, she was going to pop on over to Hawaii and learn whatever style it was that Aluna was a master at. She fooled Kim a couple times during their fights, but it wasn't anything Kim couldn't really handle.

And during their fights, Kim mentally kicked herself each time she jumped into action while avoiding something Aluna was throwing at her, and stupidly trying to avoid glowing green hands that were nowhere to be found.

She couldn't help it though. She swore she'd seen them every once in a while, but they were only Aluna's flying fists or feet. She also had to watch herself, because way more than once she almost called Aluna Shego.

Drakken seemed to be his normal self, but Kim couldn't help but notice that he was even more driven then before to succeed at anything he and Aluna ever did. Whether it was a big world domination scheme, or something simple and lame like the deal with the money in New York. Kim didn't know if he was trying to prove something to her, or to himself.

And Aluna was much more different than Shego used to be. There was no more witty banter, no more pet names, no more sarcasm, no more anything. The girl was beautiful and dangerous, but talkative, she was most definitely not. Kim tried teasing her a little to see what would happen, but she got nothing out of it. Not even a little snarl. She followed all of Drakken's commands, all the steps in their little plan. Something she knew Shego had a problem doing.

But what bugged her the most, and it _really _bugged her for some odd reason, was that she hardly ever heard Drakken's evil laugh.

Whatever she had caught was really going to her head. Because she found that she actually missed that silly laugh.

He didn't even smile anymore.

——————————————————————————————

Drakken growled and slammed every door he could get his little hands on.

He couldn't believe it. Aluna was a great sidekick. She listened, she followed orders, she was a great match against Kim Possible. She was… perfect!

And yet, he'd fired her.

He didn't do it in a mean way though. He just simply told her that she had to be let go, and that he was exploring other options. What those other options were, he had no clue.

Even though Aluna had been great, there were some downsides to her as well.

The main one was, she was extremely beautiful. Mostly all Hawaiian women were, and he knew it was a bad idea, but maybe even he'd been fooled by that beauty.

All the henchmen were coming into his lab, unwelcome, just to sneak a little peak of her. It was something they'd never done around Shego, just because he knew Shego would have never put up with it. No one was getting any work done because of their oogling at Aluna, and he was sick of it.

She also hardly ever spoke. He sometimes asked for her opinion of something, and she just gave a simple yes or no answer. And for some reason, that really ticked him off.

Drakken sat at his desk and rubbed his temples. Who was he kidding? He knew the real reason why things with Aluna didn't work out. It wasn't because she was strikingly pretty, or because she had no personality.

It was because she just wasn't Shego.

He tried not to think about her. He tried not to wonder if she ever thought about him. But he couldn't help it, and it was messing with him terribly. The very few questions he'd asked Aluna were always answered with one word, and each time, that little voice in his head would reply with, _Well, Shego would have said_…

But Shego would never say anything again to him. And he discovered that, even though he was angry about everything that had happened to her and what was happening now, he really, really missed her.

He missed her as his sidekick, and as his friend. It wasn't fun watching Kim fight Aluna. He missed the green. He missed the insults, even if sometimes they were directed at him. He even went as low as to read some of her magazines she'd left behind, just to get in her head a little, before it was attitudinated. And that's the Shego he missed the most.

As Drakken sighed, an idea came to mind. Maybe she was just confused. Maybe with some persuasion, he could bring her back. She had to know this wasn't her life, that the bad Shego would kill the good one if she ever got the chance. And she needed to know that. She needed to know where she belonged.

And she belonged right here, as his sidekick.

**TBC**

**A/N: Yes, that's right. Shego's real name is Shani in this story. I figured that if people could get away with names like Sasha, Shannon, and Stephanie, than I would be just fine with Shani. All those names are fine. So if you don't like it, than sorry. **


	9. Fake

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 9**

**Fake**

**A**s the sun set outside her window and dinner settled full in her belly, Shego sat at her dining table and smiled happily as she graded her classes tests. They'd just finished the next chapter's lesson, and many were ready to take this test and be done with it forever. Shego was pleased to write a big red B on some, but when it came to others - especially Ron's and Bonnie Rockwaller's - she hated having to write those awful C minuses.

She knew if Ron could put his mind to it, she'd be just as pleased to put an A on his paper like she did Kim's a few tests ago. But something was troubling him. She could tell. And every time she tried to get him to stay for a few minutes so she could talk, he would simply shake his head, or come up with an excuse. Maybe it was something she was missing? She didn't really know. But she wondered what was troubling her friend.

Oh… at least she thought they were still friends.

And as for Bonnie, she knew the girl was way smarter than a C minus. She assumed it was her parents divorce that was cutting into her study time, and Shego tried giving her a lot of extra credit to take home with her. But Bonnie just stuffed it into her pack, and Shego never saw the work - completed or otherwise - again. She didn't want to put more worries on them by calling her parents, so Shego would just whip up another extra credit assignment, and hope that Miss Bonnie would at least consider it.

As Shego stacked the now graded tests, she wondered what to do next. Bed wasn't for a while, and nothing really good would come on TV until about an hour. She figured she could watch some news, but that seemed rather… boring.

Or, she thought with a giddy smile, she could call Stevie, and he could come over - possibly with ice cream - and they could spend some time together. He was so cute when he ate sweets, something he rarely ever ate until she became his girlfriend, and it made her almost giggle a little just thinking about it.

He was a good man, she thought as she went to her bedroom and reached for the phone. Someone she could be with forever. He was reliable, handsome, responsible, and active. Traits like these were husband worthy.

Before she dialed, she had to set down the phone on her bed to flex her fingers because her hands, once again, began to ache.

The doorbell suddenly rang, and Shego flexed her fingers all the way to the door. She knew it wasn't Kim. She'd gone to bed early because of a headache. Maybe it was Steve? He usually never just showed up. He only did when Shego knew he was coming, or they had plans together.

She opened the door, and the very last person she would have expected was standing there. Her breath flew from her body for a few seconds as she stared.

"Hello, Shego."

Shego blinked. Dr. Drakken was standing in her doorway, and while she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. She didn't know what to do. So many memories flashed in her mind at such a force, she had to squeeze her eyes shut tightly and shake her head a little.

When she was finally able to breathe again, she put on a big smile, and greeted him. "Hi there! I wasn't expecting you."

Drakken looked at her funny as she giggled. He had to admit it was a cute sound coming from her, but the real Shego he knew so well never ever giggled like that. "Yes, I know." Looking down at her grey sweatpants and lavender t-shirt he said, "I'm guessing you weren't expecting anyone."

"Nope. Just grading tests. It's kinda boring, but that's my job!"

Drakken flinched inside. Her job. Her _new_ job. The job she'd rather have instead of the one she vanished from. What a stupid job, he thought. "I probably shouldn't have come here but-."

"Oh, don't be silly! You silly man. Come in." She opened her door for him with that same big smile.

Drakken stared at her. He couldn't decided whether or not to enter. He didn't know this woman. It was like entering a strangers home, and he didn't really like strangers. But as he looked at her big, happy eyes, her ear to ear smile, and her chipper voice, he found his feet moving on their own, and walking inside.

Just as she was about to say something else, he quickly held up the bag to her. He had to admit that he was a little afraid of this Shego. She was steadily reminding him of when she'd had the moodulator on her neck, and that had been one of the scariest moments of his life. It wasn't like he was bracing for another attack full of kissy face, but seeing her like this now was putting that same tension inside him, filling his body in a way he could live without.

"Oh! Is this my Halloween stuff?" She took the bag politely from him and looked inside. Drakken nodded to her question, but remained silent. "Thanks a million, Drew. The holiday may be over, but there's always next year, right?"

Drakken flinched again at his real name. Usually when she'd say it, it was full of mockery. Not any longer. It sounded… sincere. Something that was very far away from the old Shego. He thought it was what he always wanted where Shego was concerned, but right now he missed her sarcasm.

Shego closed the door and hugged her shoulders. "Burr. Chilly weather, huh? I bet it'll snow soon."

Drakken nodded again. He felt that was all he could do. Why did he come here? He should have just left her alone and kept Aluna. "Um, Shego? I was wondering if I could stay a while. I thought maybe we could talk?"

"Sure!" He watched her set the bag on a small coffee table in front of her brown loveseat, and sit. She patted the seat next to her, and Drakken felt he had no choice but to sit too. Once he did, he looked at her again. Her eyes seemed full of wonderment, and that ever present smile was beginning to seem just a little creepy. Like a clown.

"Shego… have you ever thought that maybe… this isn't you?"

Straight to the point, he told himself. That way, he would spend less time staring at her, which meant less time missing her old self. And he didn't like the feeling of missing someone. Even if it was Shego.

"Isn't me?" she answered, looking at him like even he didn't know what he was talking about. "Oh, you are silly, aren't you. Of course this is me."

Drakken sighed. "Listen, Shego. You're wrong. I don't know what Kim Possible has told you-."

"Kimmie didn't tell me anything."

He expected this. He expected her to deny it. He knew what it was like to be attitudinated. He could remember having no negative feelings whatsoever. And Kim Possible was obviously now a close friend to Kim, and wouldn't want anyone telling her she was in the wrong. But what Drakken also remembered about being attitudinated was that when Kim said he needed to be bad again, he'd done exactly what she said, and became just that. She said it was good if he was bad, and he just wanted to do the right thing. Maybe if he could convince Shego that things were meant to be that way, then she'd want to do the right thing too.

"Have you ever felt that this isn't who you want to be? You quit your brother's team to get away from all this, remember? You wanted the high life. The villain life. You never wanted to be a _school teacher_." He didn't feel bad that he practically spit the words out, but it was what she needed to hear to understand. And that's all that Drakken wanted. He wanted her to understand.

"If I never wanted to be a teacher, then why would I get a degree for it?"

"I… I don't know! If you wanted to be a teacher, then how come you came to work for me instead, hmm?"

"Listen, Drew-".

"Stop calling me that! It sounds so… _weird_ coming from you."

Shego sighed and smiled at him like he was a cute toddler. "You'd like Dr. Drakken better. Well, mister, this is your lucky day. I'll call you Dr. Drakken from now on."

"Shego, you're getting off track. You became a villain for a reason. You hate all this happy go lucky stuff! You need to come with me so we can get you back to your old self."

Shego patted her lap as she looked at him. He was still the same ol' Dr. Drakken. How could she have forgotten his silliness this whole time? He was always good for a laugh. "But I like me. This is me." She laughed a little. "Why would I want to be anyone else?"

"You have to understand, Shego."

Shego reached over and patted his shoulder. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. It's something she hated to do to anyone. And he needed a little comfort. "I know this must be hard for you, Dr. Drakken. Losing a friend always is. And it's not like we can't be friends anymore."

As she spoke, Drakken could feel his skin getting warmer and warmer were her hand was. Her touch was over his lab coat, but still he felt a small tingling. He almost wanted to shake his shoulder so she'd remove it, but he missed her so much that any little contact with her seemed crucial.

"I love my life the way it is. I appreciate you trying to help me and everything, but things are so wonderful as they are. I have good friends, and a blooming relationship."

Before she could speak another word, Drakken gaped at her and interrupted. "Relationship?"

She nodded, and he felt his chest constrict a little when a different smile appeared on her face. It was the smile she gave him when the moodulator was on the love setting. It didn't really frighten him now, but he thought that that particular smile was something only he'd seen. And he liked knowing that.

But now she was smiling that way for someone else.

"Yes. His name's Steve Barkin. He's Kimmie's principal. We've only been together for a little over two months, but it's been a fabulous two months. He's so sweet and charming and-."

"Ugh…" Drakken put his face in his hands. "Is Kim Possible just taking over your life? You don't _date_, Shego. You - as you've told me before - 'hook up'."

"I've been on dates before."

"Those dates meant nothing!" He knew it was a bad idea to raise his voice. He didn't really want to scare her, but she needed a good bash on the head. Who _was_ this woman? "You've told me that. You've never stayed with one guy for over two months. You get annoyed too easily."

"Stevie doesn't annoy me."

"Oh, _Stevie_, is it? Well he's intruding, that's what he's doing."

Shego laughed again at his shocked expression. "Intruding on what?"

Drakken didn't think he had an answer. Why did that spill out? Shego was right, for the first time since he got here. What _was_ Stevie intruding on? He heard Shego giggle again, and felt the heat on his cheeks. _Good lord, kill me now_.

"So this is what it's come to? You leave me, and get this cutesy romance that you shouldn't have in the first place? Not with _Stevie_ at least." Drakken couldn't explain what he was feeling. His chest still hadn't let go, and he only got angrier every time one of them would say Stevie. And he couldn't stop saying things that could have a double meaning!

"I… I like him. Maybe a little bit more than I thought…" Shego smiled sheepishly at him as a pink blush flushed her cheeks. She didn't know why she was telling him these things. She hadn't even spoke about this to Kim. But Shego felt like she could talk to him. She couldn't explain why she felt that way.

Drakken only gaped some more. "_What?_" He didn't know if it was Shego saying she possible loved this Stevie, or the fact that she was actually blushing right before his eyes.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry that I never contacted you. But out of sight, out of mind, and all that. I hope we can still be friends. Who knows. Maybe even you could turn over a new leaf. Life is much more rewarding."

He didn't know what to say after that. She seemed crazier by the second to him, and once again he tried finding the words to say that wouldn't hurt her feelings. Something told him that there would be no threat of plasma burns if he said something mean.

Shego yawned, and he knew that it was time to leave. He stood, and headed for the door.

"Dr. Drakken? Why so upset?"

He frowned. "Don't expect me to be happy about this. And don't bother sending any sort of invitation if things with you and stupid _Stevie_ get any more disgusting than it already is." He opened the door.

Shego stood abruptly, and waved to him slowly. "I wish you the best, Dr. Drakken."

He stared at her. Her tone was the same as when he put the mind control chip on her. _Yes, Dr. Drakken_. But this time, he hated hearing it.

"This isn't you, Shego. And you need to know that."

Shego jumped a little when he slammed the door. "Feisty," she said under her breath, and decided it was time for bed.

As she curled under the covers, she realized for the first time since Dr. Drakken showed up at her door that her hands hadn't ached at all.

——————————————————————————————

Drakken couldn't believe this. What did the attitudinator do to her that it didn't do to him? He did what Kim said and became evil again because it was something that needed to happen, and yet Shego just sat there, telling him that she wanted to stay as she was.

He growled loudly in frustration as he slammed his closet open.

He'd fix this. If Shego didn't want to cooperate on her own, then he'd just have to put everything back the way it should be by himself.

When he'd bought his first attitudinator, he'd gotten another one, just in case. But since he kept forgetting to use it. And when he did remember, he was just way too busy to give it a second thought, and he stored it in the very back of his closet, only to be used in a time of emergency.

This was definitely an emergency.

He didn't care if Shego had a silly romance with some guy. _Stevie_ would find someone else, and all would be fine. He didn't care if she had such a nice friendship with Kim Possible. Kim was perfectly fine before Shego, and would be perfectly fine after. And he most certainly didn't care if Shego was happy. She wasn't herself, so that canceled out everything she was feeling. He was doing what was best for her, and something he knew the old Shego trapped inside the chipper one would want him to do.

He figured he could take a beating or three from Kim Possible once she found out that he'd switched her back. But that was small change compared to living a lie. And that was what Shego was doing. Kim had her boyfriend, Rob, to cheer her back up to preppy happiness in no time.

"Ha!" Drakken smiled triumphantly once he found what he was looking for.

There it was! The machine that would change Shego back, and they could go about their evil lives, and get some work done. There were things to steal, places to destroy, and people to enslave.

All high hopes of having his sidekick back blew up before him.

By pressing one button, the attitudinator had short-circuited, flared a little, and fell apart in his hands.

"Wha…"

Drakken peered inside and looked into the box that the machine had been in. He'd stupidly put it into the weapons box he stored in his closet for reasons unknown. Drakken turned the machine around, and saw a pretty large hole in the back where something sharp had obviously busted through, and damaged it in a way even he couldn't fix now.

Drakken took a few calming breaths before he exploded, and thought of a plan B.

HenchCo had to have more. He only needed to call the company and order a new one. _Then_ Shego would be back, and schemes could be made.

About an hour and a few aspirin later, Drakken discovered that HenchCo had terminated the attitudinator because villains were abusing it, and using it on other villains to knock down the competition. And with less villains, HenchCo would no longer exist.

Gee, go figure, he thought.

He also found out that when he'd purchased his, it was only one of five test machines. The video that was shown to him was a hoax. HenchCo said that he was a valuable customer, and that they got the OK to tell him such information, but it was something that wasn't going to help him in the least.

But unfortunately, that was all they were allowed to pass onto him before he was disconnected.

Drakken sighed miserably.

That was it, he told himself. That was all he had. He tried going to Shego herself, he tried taking matters into his own hands. And he got nowhere. The only thing he could do now was try to hire Aluna back, or find someone else if she was no longer available to him, which would bum him even more.

He didn't need her, he told himself. He was fine without her, if it was the only option left to him now. But that didn't mean he wanted to remove her from his life completely. Knowing that, Drakken shocked himself a little.

He didn't want Shego gone for good. She said they could still be friends. And as much as he hated those words, he had to believe them now. Shego had been his only friend when she was here. His only _good_ friend, at least. The friend he actually wanted around.

Drakken would always miss the old Shego. But maybe little meetings with this new one would ease the hurt, if only just a little.

Maybe there was still a chance that this would ware off. He really wanted to believe it. But until then, he had to go about his regular life.

It would just be so very different now.

**TBC**

**A/N: For those of you who think the opposite, this story is not ending any time soon. There's so much more to happen. That's good, right? **


	10. Hurt

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 10**

**Hurt**

**W**eak sunlight filtered through the bad-tempered clouds. And after a few moments, the small patch of sun had vanished, and it seemed one huge grey cloud covered the sky. The trees softly moved as a small whisper of wind drifted outside, and Kim knew it was getting pretty cold.

She had to only witness the change of weather from her bedroom window, of course. She wished she could be happily walking along the sidewalk with the rest of the human world, embracing this change from the summer heat. But since there was no school for the rest of the week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, and her mother had ordered resting time so she could recover from whatever she still had, Kim was stuck in her room.

She hadn't been feeling as bad as she did though. She wondered why. The only thing she did differently was not seeing Shego as much as she was. Kim hated that, but with Shego working and spending time with Barkin, and herself sick and dealing with school, the only time they'd see each other was in class. But since she was feeling kind of better, Kim hoped that would change. There was so much to talk about.

At the sound of a soft knock at her bedroom door, Kim sniffed and said, "Come in."

The woman she was just thinking about entered with a big smile. Kim smiled back at Shego and sat up, propping some pillows behind her back. "Hi, Shego."

"Hi, pumpkin." Kim thought Shego looked very nice today in a winter white sweater and light blue jeans. Colors besides green and black always brought out Shego's emerald eyes. "I haven't seen you in forever so I thought I'd come by."

She looked a little better, Shego thought as she looked at Kim. She was still pale and her nose was still red, her hair still had some grey - although she'd never_ ever_ bring that up again - but her eyes no longer had bags under them. It was a small start, but it was better than nothing.

"I'm so glad you're here. I was just thinking about you. How are things?"

"Fine, like always." Shego walked over with a grocery bag in her hand, and sat on the edge of Kim's bed. "I brought you some stuff." Shego reached in, and pulled out her items. "Some hair dye like you wanted. Don't worry, I got Radiant Sunset. So it should match perfectly. Some concealer, and tissues."

Kim took the concealer, and carelessly used it under her eyes. "I have enough tissues. My red, rashy nose is proof."

"Oh no, these are new. They have lotion in them. So they'll help that red, rashy nose."

Kim smiled as she read the directions on the back of the hair dye box. "Thanks, Shego." She held the box up next to her head. "Radiant Sunset is me?"

"Of course. It's identical."

Kim sighed softly as she sniffed again. "I've never dyed my hair before."

"And you shouldn't have to this time. You'll get better, and you'll look fine. Give that box to someone who wishes that could have what you've already got."

Kim laughed softly. "Have you ever dyed your hair before?"

"Oh gosh, Kimmie, tons of times! I used to have grey hairs sprouting like no tomorrow. We can be Starry Night and Radiant Sunset together."

Kim laughed again. She was so happy Shego came by today. Being Ron-less and all, Kim needed some source of happiness.

Shego continued. "And with the kind of job I used to have, grey hair was a must, apparently."

Kim smile dropped and she flinched inside. She'd totally forgotten about the whole Drakken thing. "Well… You don't have to worry about that anymore. Right?"

Shego opened the tissues and gave one to Kim. "I guess not. He seemed kind of angry a while ago. But then again, he always seems angry."

Kim stopped and stared, causing Shego to wipe her nose for her. "He what? He came over?"

"Yeah. He was just talking about me not being me, and stuff. But he's so silly."

Kim couldn't believe this. She didn't think Drakken was the type to actually think about Shego. Maybe Ron was right, and they were close, or Drakken thought Aluna wasn't good enough anymore and wanted Shego back because he was used to her. Whatever the reason was, she had no doubt that it was selfish. Drakken always only thought about Drakken.

"But… you haven't seem him since, right?"

Shego shook her head, seeming like she wasn't even paying attention, and looked out the window at the clouds. "I just realized that I have no good winter clothes. I need a new jacket, and a scarf, and some gloves."

Kim decided that since Shego didn't seem interested in talking about Drakken, then it wasn't something she needed to worry about anymore. "That's a great shopping excuse."

Shego giggled happily. "It is! Do you want to come? Second opinions are always appreciated."

"Sorry. Love too, but can't. I'm on lockdown."

Shego nodded and stood. Then giggled when she heard Kim's belly gurgle. "Is someone hungry?"

Kim nodded, and then sighed. "Yeah… I would give anything for a naco right about now."

Shego had heard somewhere during school about Kim and Ron's breakup. She didn't know at the time if she should feel concerned for Kim, or a little angry since she didn't tell her anything about it. But Shego knew she could never be angry at Kim. She hadn't really felt that emotion in a long time. And because she didn't want to hurt Kim or put her in a depressed mood, Shego thought it best not to bring it up. She'd let Kim come to her about it when she was ready.

"You know," Shego began, desperately hoping she could keep Kim happy. "I could run to Bueno Nacho for you and bring something back."

Kim smiled big, and almost lifted her hands so she could clap in delight. "Really? I would love that. I haven't been in ages."

Shego picked up her purse she'd set on the floor and headed for the door. "I'll be right back then."

——————————————————————————————

"Ah ha!… oh wait… oh, no. Ah ha!"

Yes! Drakken thought with delight. After days and nights of doing nothing but trying to fix this blasted machine, he finally decided that the attitudinator was fixed, and ready to use on Shego at the next possible moment!

Okay, he admitted to himself. It didn't look _exactly_ like it used to, and he may have switched some things around, and it possibly wouldn't do what he needed it to do. But still! There was a great chance that it would. And plus, _he_ fixed it, so it probably was even better than it was before. All of Dr. Drakken's inventions were top notch.

Drakken gave it a thunk on the side, and the machine came alive, all it's lights flashing on and ready for use. He thought maybe he should try it out on one of the henchmen first, but just in case it only worked enough for one go, he would take his chances on Shego. She couldn't possibly get any more good than she already was.

With high hopes, Drakken hopped in his hover car with the machine under his arm, and headed for town. Since he knew the place better and where exactly Shego lived, it shouldn't be very hard to find her like before. And after she was changed back, she'd thank him and they could get back to their evil ways. And the best part of it was that _Stevie _would no longer be an issue anymore.

He couldn't wait to have to old Shego back. There were at least three new take over the world schemes that he couldn't wait to get started on, and time was definitely wasting. Shego would be back to her sarcastic, violent self, and he would be just as brilliant as ever, and in no time, the world would be theirs.

Drakken smiled at that thought.

And maybe when the world was theirs, Shego would absolutely hate Stevie for making her his girl toy, and condemn the poor, enslaved man to a lifetime of servitude. Something really evil, Drakken thought with a grin. Like… making him dress like her and slapping a high voltage shock collar around his neck, and have him do nothing but wait for orders, like a patient and loyal dog.

Drakken giggled childishly. He could picture it now… even though he didn't think he knew what Stevie looked like.

As he flew on, Drakken wondered what exactly Stevie would look like. Going by the other men he'd seen Shego hang around with, Stevie was probably blonde. He knew she liked yellow hair. And really muscular. He probably spent 50% of his time at the gym, carelessly benching weights that Drakken never could.

He sighed and cursed himself. There went his joyful mood.

Once Drakken got into the active part of town, he looked down every now and then, just making sure Shego wasn't out and about. And when he saw her walking out of some silly looking fast food joint with a huge Mexican hat as the roof, his spirits lifted, and he couldn't believe his luck. The machine had to work now!

Drakken landed, picked up the machine, and headed for Shego. She was balancing two bags and two drinks with one arm while searching in her purse - obviously for her keys - with the other. Drakken caught himself when he took a fast step forward, consciously wanting to take everything for her, and remembered his task.

Drakken's eyes widened a little when he saw her stumble, almost falling right on her green face, but quickly righted herself and spotted him, keys in hand.

"Dr. Drakken, hi!"

He didn't have time for niceties. There was a sidekick to change and a world to conquer. Drakken tapped the machine to life, it's lights flashing faintly once again, and aimed at her. He ignored her confused, almost frightened look.

"What are you doing?"

Before she could gather too much information on what he was about to do, Drakken pulled on an exposed wire, and hit the red button.

And… nothing.

He blinked, then repeated the step, and again nothing happened. The only thing the attitudinator seemed to be doing was flashing.

He didn't want to look up at Shego before he figured out how to fix whatever was going wrong, but he just knew she was confused.

He did it again. _Pull, press. Pull, press. Pull, prESS. PULL, PRESS!_

Still nothing.

"Nnnnrrrr!" Drakken growled loudly and slammed the machine on the sidewalk as hard as he could while Shego watched on.

The big flash of red shot out of the attitudinator onto a nearby car, ricocheted to a light post, and finally on a poor, unsuspecting pigeon who immediately flew off, cooing a lot louder than the normal bird.

Drakken could only watch with big, infuriated eyes. Shego had one eyebrow lifted and her lips slightly parted in confusion and astonishment. And the pigeon flew into a nearby building, it's feathers drifting in the cool wind.

The next thing that happened had surprised her more than anything in her entire life. And she had seen some things in her life that the average human never would.

She watched as Dr. Drakken stomped furiously on the ground, using every profanity known to man. Some even she would never stoop to using.

_Wow._

After a while he stopped, and stood there with his back turned to her, breathing steadily. Shego suddenly felt like something was missing, and looked down at her feet.

She'd dropped her and Kimmie's food and drinks from all the ruckus.

And as she thought of said ruckus, she realized what Drakken's intentions were. He'd come to change her. To make her evil again. He tried fixing the machine so she'd become someone else.

He didn't like her the way she was.

Shego swallowed as a frown spread across her face. The very first frown in… forever. She felt sad. She felt unappreciated.

He didn't want to be her friend. He didn't like her.

She didn't know how much time had passed. The only thing she did was stare down and look at her feet. She just wanted these feelings and this frown to go away. But suddenly Drakken's black boots were standing in front of hers, and she looked up.

She was a little shocked to see a concerned look on his face. She was expecting something mean, something hurtful because his plan had failed. She felt something just then at that thought, something very faint that it could have been nothing. She felt like saying something to make him feel like she did, something full of mockery and sarcasm. But the frown stayed in place, sort of overpowering her hateful feelings towards him. And she just continued to stare up at his unchanged expression.

"Are you okay, Shego?"

She felt a knot forming in the middle of her throat. She'd only had these feelings once in her life. And that had been when she was in middle school, and every other girl in her grade had been developing, except for her. And they'd teased her for it. But feeling upset by it only lasted about 5 minutes before she stomped into the girl's dressing room and stole all their underwear, then threw them in the middle of the gym. It was funny since she went to a private school at the time, and every girl and boy had to have name labels on everything they wore. Even undergarments.

But this time felt even worse.

Shego swallowed again. "Why don't you like me?" she whispered.

Drakken flinched a little. Shego was upset? He'd never seen her this way before, except for the moodulator incident of course. But… it was still quite a shocker. "What? No no, I _do_ like you."

Before he could say anything else, she spoke again. "You don't like me this way…"

Drakken stared at her for a while, and then he finally sighed. "Shego… it's not that I don't like you now. I think you're a very nice women. But… you were made to be like this. You were forced. I'm just trying to get you back to normal."

Shego looked away from his eyes and down to his lab coat. "I like me…"

At that moment, Drakken couldn't help but feel very cruel. And not in a good way. Not in the way he liked. He knew he shouldn't feel this way. He was only trying to do the right thing, and not let his sidekick, his friend, live a lie like this. But still he felt like a monster. And as he stared at this poor woman that he'd hurt, he realized that there was no chance on getting the real Shego back. His window of opportunity was shut as tight as it could get, and there was no way in opening it.

And again he realized something. He didn't think he could live without seeing Shego, even if she was this way. And even though things would never be the same, he needed a little Shego time. She was a big part of his life, and he didn't want that part to go away. Even though her personality was extremely opposite, she was still Shego.

"I'm sorry, Shego." When she didn't look up, he placed his hand under her chin, and forced her eyes to meet his. "I'm sorry. I like you too."

It might have been a lie, but maybe he could change that. If he wanted to still see Shego every now and then, he would have to.

"I want to be friends," he told her, and saw a smile softly spread on her face. "We can be friends."

"Really?"

Drakken felt like sighing, but knew it would probably upset her again. And for some reason, it was the last thing he wanted to do. "Yes."

——————————————————————————————

_No!_ Drakken thought, as he slumped through the lair, hoping he could make it to his bed before his feet broke off from overuse.

It was a terrible idea. He'd never felt more upset in his life. Who was he to think that he - still evil - could be friends with a good, constantly bubbly Shego? For the past week they'd tried remaining friends, and Drakken realized sadly that it just could never work. They were night and day now. Pink and black. Television and books.

He thought he needed Shego in his life. And he was right. But that Shego was gone. And every time he hung around the new Shego, he was only constantly thinking of the old one. _No, you don't like that, Shego. Are you really going to let him look at you like that? Pink again!? No, you can't put blonde streaks in your hair!_

This new Shego upset him. She upset him because he could never have the old one back. And that was who he missed terribly. He missed the green, he missed the mean, he missed the magazines and nails and the fact that she dominated everyone. New Shego stopped to pet puppies, she bought pale pink lipstick, she giggled at stupid jokes, and she was actually thinking about putting butterfly clips in her hair tomorrow.

She may have been the nicest, sweetest person on the face of the earth, but Drakken felt horrible every time he saw her.

And it really wasn't that he didn't like her. She was a stranger to him. You can't hate someone who offers to iron your shirts.

Old Shego was gone. And because of that, he felt like he was missing an arm. He knew he'd miss that arm. He missed Shego so much.

He didn't want to hurt her, but he just couldn't be around her like this anymore. She was everything he wasn't. And he couldn't deal with it. The only thing to get rid of the hurt would be to get rid of the source. He would explain to her carefully that he had nothing against how she was now - lie's were what he did best - but maybe they just needed to get on with their own lives, without each other. They were both going in extremely different directions with their extremely different occupations.

It just wasn't going to work.

Drakken sighed deeply. What had he done to deserve this besides trying to enslave all of humanity? Drakken decided that blaming everything on Kim Possible would make him feel better.

It didn't.

**TBC**


	11. Confess

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 11**

**Confess**

**T**hanksgiving had come and gone. The multi-colored leaves that were once so vibrant upon the branches were slowly falling, scattering on the grounds like a brownish-red sea. Small 10 year olds couldn't wait to be paid a couple bucks here and there from their neighbors when they asked if they could rake the yard. It was getting colder with every week that passed, cold enough that the winter clothing was brought out from deep inside closets and wrapped around bodies trying to get warm.

And Drakken had no idea why he was _still_ in Middleton.

It had been probably two weeks now, maybe more. He couldn't remember being this lonely, even though he knew he had much lonelier times, but they didn't seem to matter. Something was off with him. He couldn't say something was _wrong,_ but something was just… off. He could feel it, and it bugged him more than anything else.

Every time he tried to convince himself that it was time to get back to the Caribbean lair and get back to work, something would stop him. And when he vowed that today would be the day he'd finally leave, it seemed like another two days would pass. He did nothing, thought about nothing, and worried about nothing. It seemed all he knew how to do anymore was sleep, eat, and remember. Some thoughts would try to creep up on him, but he just pushed them back into their own hole inside his head, only until they'd show up again. Like right now.

But it was different this time. This time, he couldn't shove it back, and the thoughts flooded his mind.

_I bet Stevie doesn't even know her favorite dessert. How is he supposed to cook for her if he doesn't know that? If he even cooks for her at all. Does he know she's allergic to green beans and vanilla? He's probably feeding that stuff to her right now… Has she shown him her bunny slippers? She threatened me not to tell anyone about them… But I bet stupid _Stevie_ knows about them. She probably prances around in her cute little slippers in the morning, with her hair all messed up and looking gorgeous and…_

He stopped himself right there.

Gorgeous? He just referred to Shego as _gorgeous_?

Well… It's not like she wasn't. Many guys wanted her, he knew that. But a lot of girls were gorgeous. And…

And he was confusing himself. Again.

So Shego is gorgeous, he thought and shrugged. No big deal. And it wasn't like he just noticed that little fact about her. He always thought she was. Whether she was lounging around being lazy, or yelling at him, or fighting Kim Possible. She just always was.

As he began to think more about Shego and her very long, very black and beautiful hair, more inferior thoughts of Stevie kept pushing through.

_I bet he doesn't know half the things I know about her. Like how she likes extra pickles on her hamburger, or that she has a secret weakness for mayonnaise, or that she has a stuffed penguin she sleeps with when she's depressed or sick. _

Drakken smiled when he remembered the first time he saw that little penguin. They'd both gotten up in the middle of the night for something to eat. Shego got to the kitchen before him, and when he walked in he saw Shego looking in the fridge, holding the little stuffed toy by it's hand at her side.

He was so afraid at the time that she'd see him looking at it that he never brought it up to her. He caught little glimpses of it every once in a while, and he couldn't help but think it was so… adorable of her.

_Gah!_ Why was he thinking this way!?

Well… Well the point was, Drakken scolded to himself, that Stevie was no good for her. He knew Shego way better than him, and that was all there was to it!

After a few more hours - Was it really that long? - of arguing with himself, Drakken realized something. And it was a very tough something to admit, and he didn't like it at all. He hated it actually. Someone like him shouldn't feel emotions like these. But he did feel them.

He was incredibly jealous of Stevie.

Drakken cringed just admitting it to himself. He was jealous. He didn't want Shego with Stevie, even if she was the way she was. It wasn't right. Because even though Shego wasn't exactly herself right now, she was still Shego. Drakken thought that it could've been enough to stay friends with her, but it wasn't. Stevie wasn't getting the real Shego. He was dating a replica, a fake version. Only he had the real Shego before.

But that didn't change the fact that Shego was with _him_ right now, instead of where she'd rather be. Where he wanted her to be.

Drakken couldn't believe this. He couldn't stop thinking things he very much didn't want to think about. Shego had a new life now, one that he wasn't in anymore, and he would just have to live with that. He hated thinking about her this way. And right now, he had to do anything to stop it.

It was best for both him and Shego to erase each other from their lives completely. No traces of what they were. Things would be better. Things would be easier. And he wouldn't remember things like how they were together, only to put him in a bad mood because they weren't that way anymore.

He would be going back home today. One more meeting with Shego would make things better. She had to be gone. All of her. Every trace in the lair. All her stuff.

Drakken had no time to wonder if that's what he really wanted. He knew the answer would be something that wasn't for the best.

When Drakken left for the Caribbean, he realized that he felt the same as before. Something was still off.

——————————————————————————————

Music swam through the apartment as Shego happily cleaned away. She wanted everything to be spick and span before Christmas, and so far, she'd cleaned the bathroom, the living room, dusted, swept, mopped, and scrubbed. She was a little embarrassed the night before when Steve came over for dinner and her apartment wasn't the cleanest it's ever been, and she'd decided to change that today.

Last night was fun. They watched a movie, ate some dinner, and played a card game or two. The night could've been considered perfect. And it was, until Steve had asked once again if he could spend the night.

He'd told her that they'd been dating for a very long time and getting closer with every passing day, but Shego just couldn't bring herself to do it. She'd vowed to herself when she thought about this particular subject that she'd only give herself to someone she completely and truly trusted, and felt very strongly for. It was all part of her different life. It was how things were supposed to be, right?

And it wasn't that she didn't have feelings for Steve. She did, but not as strongly as she thought. She trusted him, but not in the way that she wanted to trust him. Not in the way she needed to be able to do something like that with him. She thought the possibility of love was there, but after much thought and pleading's from him, she realized that it was just a big infatuation still.

She just… needed more time or something.

Just as she was about to shake out the rugs the phone rang. She almost fell making a dash to her room, but quickly righted herself and answered on the third ring. "Hello?" she answered in a cheery voice.

At first there was silence, and then a quiet cough.

"Um… Hello, Shego."

"Dr. Drakken? Um… Wow! What a surprise. I didn't think I'd talk to you again after the ah… the talk we had a while ago."

"Yes well… I still feel the same way."

"Oh." For a second, a very hopeful second, she thought he'd called to tell her he'd made a mistake. He'd specifically told her in their last conversation that it was best for both of them if they stayed away from each other. And because it was what she assumed he wanted - even though she'd become very upset after that statement - she obliged him, and decided to do what he asked of her.

She didn't care for villains anymore. They were just scoundrels who thought they could be mean whenever they felt like it, just disturbing other people's lives.

But when it came to Dr. Drakken, she discovered, her feelings on the issue were different. And she didn't know why.

"Shego," he continued, feeling a little awkward. "You, um… Your stuff is all here. I need you to come over and retrieve it." He stopped for a few seconds, wondering if she'd say anything. When she didn't, he began again. "I can't have it here."

Shego began nodding, then almost laughed at herself when she realized they were speaking on the phone to each other. "My stuff, right. Well you see, I can't just hop over to the Caribbean anymore. It's too far away. But maybe you could box it all up and send it to me?"

Drakken blinked as he sat at the kitchen counter. Oh right, he told himself. The Shego who'd destroyed anything that entered her room unannounced was gone. But just to make sure… "You want me to go in your room?"

Shego shrugged. "Sure. Nothing in there that I really need, but if you need it out, you need it out. It's my stuff after all." She waved at some flying dust and realized she missed a few dusty spots. "Do you think you could do that for me? It'd really appreciate it. I just don't have the time to get so far south right now."

Drakken swallowed and sighed. He'd really hoped that she would come, just to see her one last time. He almost said that her stuff could wait till she was able to pick it up herself, but decided that the sooner all of her was gone, the better. "Yes. No problem."

"Oh, thanks, Drew!" She gasped a little and softly giggled. "Oops. Sorry. _Dr. Drakken_," she corrected, trying to sound macho, and Drakken knew it was her laughing at herself instead of mocking him. He'd take the mocking any day.

"Okay… Goodbye, Shego."

He quickly hung up before she could say something else.

An hour went by before Drakken could gather the energy to slump up to Shego's room and begin packing her things. During that hour, he'd sat right where he was when he'd ended their phone conversation.

What was _wrong_ with him?

He'd never really had a one-track mind. It was how he'd thought of his most colorful and ingenious plans. His mind was always going from one thing to the next, and it was most likely the main reason why Shego had called him incompetent.

But for one whole hour, and maybe a few minutes after, his mind was set only on Shego.

He couldn't get the woman out of his head. And since he was excepting the truth of it, Drakken realized that he'd thought of nothing but her for the two weeks he'd somehow managed to stay in Middleton instead of coming back here, where he should have been in the beginning. Each night he'd stay awake until he had no choice but to fall asleep he was thinking of her. When he tried to leave, feelings that she'd somehow need him kept him where he was. And when he finally got around to eating something, he sat there staring at his food, wondering if she would like whatever it was that somehow ended up on his plate.

She was haunting him. Plaguing him, Drakken corrected. The woman was nothing but trouble even when she was good, he decided. Nothing but trouble.

Drakken finally got to her door and unlocked it. He had a key to every room in the lair, and thought he'd never get to use Shego's key. But here he was, entering her room only to clear it. To clear her.

Once inside, he looked around at everything he'd been desperately missing since she'd disappeared. Here was the black and green he wanted, the badness that he craved to see from her, her evil essence that pulsed from her every time she'd walk by him when she was still herself.

He almost smiled, but realizing that this wonderful reflection of his best friend and sidekick would be gone as soon as he'd make it so.

Drakken found some boxes laying around the lair, and began the task of packing her things. There were about ten green and black jumpsuits that he'd seen almost everyday. He couldn't help but hold one in his hands for a few minutes, and was almost tempted to keep it. It would've been all he'd have of his sidekick.

It went into the box, along with everything else.

Her drawers were cleared, along with bathroom cabinets and everything else that held his green and black beauty. The bed sheets were next - made from only the finest Egyptian cotton - and Drakken pulled the pilllows out of their cases.

He noticed something flew out of the one closest to the wall, and bent to pick it back up. Probably the receipt to the bed spread, if she even bothered to pay for it. And that's when he realized that it wasn't a receipt.

Drakken stared at the long line of pictures, not sure how to feel. The pictures Shego had forced him to take with her when she'd been under the influence of the awful moodulator.

Drakken didn't know what to do as he looked at them, so he sank down, mentally grateful that her bed was right there.

She kept them. The thought repeated in his head a dozen times, and each time he thought it again, it seemed like he just discovered the fact. She kept these pictures of them, even though he vowed never _ever_ to bring this whole ordeal up again.

_She kept them_.

Many hours flew by, and all of Shego's things were packed and on their way to her back in Middleton.

Drakken sat at his workbench, staring down at the pictures he couldn't seem to avoid. He wanted to send them with her, but figured she'd only throw them away. She had _Stevie_ to take pictures like these with now.

But Drakken couldn't help but feel a little smug that it was he who she took photo booth pictures with first. And she had kissed him way before she even know Stevie existed.

He tilted his head to the side a little as he remembered when she'd attacked him with love crazy feelings after all the photo's were taken. Fighting her demanding hands and wandering kisses had been difficult in such a small space, but he'd successfully pulled it off. Of course, he had to lie and promise her more kissy face later on in the day after their dinner date.

Drakken's eyes moved up to look at the other pictures, and settled on the one where she was laughing. He was laughing too. Granted, it was nervous laughing, but laughing nonetheless. And they both looked… happy. He couldn't seem to remove his eyes from that one picture, even though he really wanted to look at the others below it again.

And as Drakken continued to look and remember, he held his eyes level a moment as something unbelievable drifted over him quietly. The realization hit him at full force once he absorbed it completely. His eyes widened, and only when his head fell onto the surface of his workbench with a considerably loud _thunk_ did he accept it.

He cared for Shego a lot more than he let on or even thought. It was why he was missing her so terribly that it was becoming a physical pain in the middle of his chest, and why he just couldn't seem to get it together these last few weeks. Another truth dawned on Drakken, followed shortly by another head _thunk_ on the workbench.

He had stupidly, _stupidly _fallen in love with Shego. And what made this realization even worse was the fact that he had known the truth for some time, but had refused to acknowledge it. Now, there was no denying it.

Drakken couldn't help but feel a little shaken by what he had just been forced to admit to himself. This was not what he had planned. How could this happen? He needed time to think, time to sort things out. Right now he felt too confused. He had always thought they just worked well together.

Not work, Drakken now corrected silently, a fantasy. He had been acting out a fantasy. Perhaps his entire career was a fantasy, perhaps his entire life. A hysterical giggle bubbled inside him, and he chocked it back. He could not afford to make a fool of himself now, even though he was alone. He could not allow himself to think about the feelings running through him or the questions buzzing inside his brain.

He couldn't let Shego go. He had to change her back. He had to make her see, to make her understand that this was the life she truly wanted, her evil life. They needed to become an evil family once again. He couldn't let her live like this, like she was some invention, and only programmed to think and act and feel the way she did now.

It wasn't Miss Go that belonged. The real Shego was in there somewhere, and he needed to find her, to save her. Shego may have decided when he was attitudinated that she wanted to ditch him, and continue her career with whatever his name was, but he would _not_ do that to her. He couldn't.

He wasn't happy about this. Not one bit. Feeling this way only got in the way of things, and made life a lot more complicated than it already was. But Drakken had always been one to express his emotions, even though he planned to keep his feelings for Shego hidden. But if he could show her just a little what she meant by giving her old life back to her, than that was fine enough for him.

Drakken could've slapped himself for letting this happen, for letting these feelings creep inside him where they shouldn't be. Another _thunk_ sounded throughout the lair, a little louder this time, as Drakken repeatedly reminded himself how stupid he was for falling for the very last woman he should be feeling so helplessly for.

_I love Shego_, he confessed again, cringing this time and muttering another insult to himself.

_Thunk, thunk, thunk._

**TBC**

**A/N: Of **_**course**_** I'm not going to have him confess his undying love to good Shego to her face. That's not the Drakken way, my friends. But a silent, mental realization is perfect, I'd think. **


	12. Debate

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 12**

**Debate**

"**I** told you ahead of time that I wouldn't be able to do it. I wasn't aware that we would be having the_ same_ conversation all over again, Miss Go." Bonnie Rockwaller stood in front of the teachers desk, scowling down with her tan arms folded, and her feet tapping impatiently.

"I know, Bonnie, but your grades are really slipping. I wouldn't be giving you these extra credit assignments if you didn't need them."

"You'll just be putting more pressure on my poor mother if you call her. You can't possibly imagine what she's going through right now. Her blood pressure is through the roof."

Shego sighed. Great, she thought, looking down at the ugly D next to her students name, Bonnie's current class grade. She really didn't want to call her mother. She'd only feel guilty afterwards. Maybe Bonnie was right…

"But look at this grade Bonnie. You're just a couple points from an F. You can't pass the class with an F." Shego stared intensely at her student, trying whatever she could to get through to her. "You need this class to graduate. I don't want to see you fail."

Bonnie snatched her progress report from Shego's hand, still holding her scowl. "When I want your extra credit, I'll ask for it. Until then, you really should keep this little chat between the two of us. It's best for my family." Bonnie stuffed the paper in her purse, making Shego cringe a little as it crumbled with everything else, and smiled at her. "Have a nice day, Miss Go. Don't let these kids take advantage of you. They're all little sneaks." And with that, she walked off.

Kim watched everything from the doorway of Shego's classroom, and almost marched up to Bonnie, demanding that she apologize. But she knew her threats had absolutely no effect, otherwise things would have been extremely different all throughout high school.

As Shego began inspecting her nails, Kim walked up to her with a small smile. "Hey. Sorry about that. That's just how she is."

It surprised Kim some when it took a couple of seconds for her friend's usual happy smile to appear. Usually it was instant. And Kim couldn't help but feel… saddened by it.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Kimmie. She's just… going through a hard time right now. Watching your parents divorce each other always is."

Kim perched on the side of the desk, and decided it was time to tell her the truth. She didn't need this. "You know, Shego, it's not really Bonnie's parents that are divorcing."

Shego looked up at her and blinked. "Excuse me?"

Kim swallowed a little. "Well… It's really her sister that's getting divorced. And Bonnie doesn't even like her sister. They aren't close at all."

Shego stared at her for a little bit, a small crease forming in the middle of her eyebrows that Kim recognized all too well, and for a split second, Kim braced slightly for an explosion.

"Oh… Well, um… That's unfortunate."

And when Shego got up and left the classroom, Kim felt very strange. Almost like she was expecting the fireworks, looking forward to them actually, but only became disappointed when they were all duds.

And that's exactly what Shego was now, Kim admitted regretfully. She was a dud.

No more fireworks.

——————————————————————————————

For once, at the end of the school day, Shego couldn't wait to get home. It wasn't usually this way. Usually she was happy with her wonderful day's work, the feeling of accomplishment swimming through her, along with excitement for the next day where she could teach her students some more.

But not today. The only thing she thought about all day long after second period was going home.

Bonnie had been lying to her all this time. Taking advantage of her thoughtfulness, Shego corrected. She'd actually felt so sorry for the girl. She would stay up pretty late, way after bedtime, just so she could make an assignment so Bonnie could catch up with her grades. But all her hard work just got thrown away, along with her progress reports apparently.

She'd been played for a fool this whole time. She bought that whole crap story, even though she sort of knew in the back of her mind that maybe it could have all been just a big joke, right from the start. But her expectations of people caused her to believe differently.

And Shego didn't like it. She didn't like being lied to, or being made a fool.

As she drove home through the cloudy weather, her grasp on the steering wheel tightened, and for just a second, Shego wanted to scream.

But everything faded when she saw a silver hover car in her apartment complexes parking lot, and she relaxed her hands.

Once she parked, Shego ran to her door, and saw him standing there. His cheeks were slightly red, obviously from a little wind burn, and she couldn't stop the big smile that spread across her face. It wasn't only that he was here, waiting for her to show up, but that he had a big tree propped against her door next to him.

"Hi!"

Drakken had to suck in a big breath when he saw her. Her hair was down, just like it used to be when she was his sidekick, and it really stood out in all the grey weather. She was wearing black jeans with a deep red turtleneck sweater, and Drakken thought she looked amazing. He couldn't really smile back at her. Because he knew he'd always prefer green and black over this.

"What's this for?" she said, pointing to the big tree next to him.

"Oh… Well, Christmas is coming up, and I didn't think you had a tree yet." Drakken didn't know why he was feeling a little nervous. He didn't really expect it, since he didn't particularly know this new Shego, and he rubbed his hair back just to do something with his hands. "So… I got you one."

"Oh wow, that is so sweet! No one's ever gotten me a _tree _before."

Drakken stepped aside so she could unlock her door. His plan was to leave after she got home. Giving her the tree was just part of the plan, just so she'd have him in her head, and maybe it would be easier to get through to her. But when she beckoned him inside, he realized that he didn't want to leave quite so soon.

"You know," Shego began, striking up conversation because she loved to talk. And she was just so happy to see him. "Stevie was going to get me a tree, but he's taking too long. So I'm putting up yours instead!"

When she started giggling at that, Drakken almost did too. So _he _as getting her a Christmas tree? Ha! Drakken thought gleefully. He was already one step ahead. He definitely wanted to be here when Stevie saw that he ran out of time. It was perfect.

"Do you have any decorations for it?" he asked.

Shego pulled off her sweater, revealing a red shirt, and nodded. "Yeah. Steve got me some a few days ago."

Drakken could have frowned. _Blast!_ he thought. His tree, Stevie's decorations.

Shego began pushing some furniture out of the way as a wonderful idea came to her head. "Do you think you could help me set it up? I wouldn't want to make Christmas happen at home all by myself."

As he watched her he told her he would. It was good time to talk to her, get her to understand. And because he felt for her the way he did, getting his Shego back was number one priority. For once, the world could wait for Drakken.

Some time passed as the two set up Shego's tree. Drakken almost busted a blood vessel when she just couldn't decide where exactly she wanted it, and finally sighed heavily in relief when she decided upon it being in front of her only window. That way, she'd told him, everyone could see it as they walked on by.

And during that time, Shego just talked and talked. He usually didn't like it when people couldn't seem to shut up, but yet he stayed silent as she continued, speaking every now and then his thoughts, and understanding along the way that he'd made Shego's day bringing her a tree. When he asked her how her day was - not really wanting to get straight to the point, but just enjoying her company as they twirled the lights around the base - she began telling him about her problem with some girl named Bonnie.

Shego didn't know why she was telling him as much as she was. She felt like she knew him forever, when in actuality, she had. She couldn't explain the comfort she felt, the relaxation. But she liked it. And after a crappy day at work, she needed it.

"Well why don't you just threaten her? I can guarantee you that this girl has never seen hands like your's before. That should whip her into shape."

Shego looked down at the colorful bundle of lights she held in her hands as she inched behind Drakken, who was steadily placing the lights in the tree. She couldn't stop the ache spreading through them, and she wondered if it was his bringing them up that caused it. "Hands?" she replied quietly.

Drakken suddenly stopped, causing her to bump into him, and turned around to face her with a semi-shocked expression on his blue face. "What do you mean 'hands'? You know exactly what I'm talking about."

At her blank face, Drakkken dropped the lights, making her do so also, and grabbed her hands. "These hands? You know they light up. Don't act silly, Shego."

"I'm not, I just…" She looked down at them, and felt the ache building up. She could see them now in her head. The green power that was a fire on her skin. The yearning steadily climbing within her to ignite them, and march straight on over to Bonnie's house and scream. She wanted to make the cheerleader cower in front of her for making her feel so stupid.

Shego pulled her hands out of Drakken's, and dropped them to her sides. "I just haven't used them in a while… In that way, I mean."

Drakken couldn't believe this. The _one_ thing that was still a big reminder of her evil past she almost forgets about. "What? Shego that's just… ridiculous!"

"How is it ridiculous? I don't need my glow anymore. I'm not evil, and I'm not a hero. So what's the point?"

Drakken sighed. If this was Kim Possible's words coming from her mouth then he'd find something good to ruin her Christmas with. He then looked down at her hands, and saw that she was clenching them tightly. So tightly, her knuckles were turning white. And that's when an idea came to mind.

"I bet you want to. I bet you want to feel your hands glow again."

Shego could feel her face frowning. She tried to stop it. But it was just another wasted effort. "I don't."

"Yes, you do." He gently took her hands again, trying to block out all thoughts on how soft they were, and focused at what he had to try to explain to her. "You love your glow, Shego. Remember how powerful you felt with it? You can't tell me you don't want to feel that again."

Shego looked down at their joined hands, and wanted desperately to answer yes to everything he was saying. But something was holding her back, something she kept leaning to, away from everything he would say. Her hands began to feel slightly warm against the fabric of his gloves, and a different part of her, one she wasn't all too familiar with, wanted to feel his bare hands on hers. He began rubbing his thumbs on the top of her hands, and she looked up into his eyes, part of them reflecting the lights from the Christmas tree he'd brought for her. Shego could feel her hands getting a little hotter, and Drakken could feel it too. He didn't want to let go and break whatever hold he was having over her, and figured it would be worth a few burns here and there if she were to ignite them.

"Shego," he continued as he stared back into her emerald eyes, the eyes he saw looking at him in his dreams ever since he'd admitted to himself how he truly felt about her. They were such pretty eyes. "Tell me this isn't what you want. You wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for that machine. You were never forced into becoming evil. You made that decision on your own. But this," he said, holding her gaze. "You didn't chose this willingly. This has never been what you wanted."

As Drakken looked at her, he saw - if only just a little bit - the spark in her eyes that had always been there all throughout the years she'd worked for him. The confidence was showing brightly, and he took in as much as possible. This was his Shego. His sarcastic, lazy, mean, conceited Shego. And just for a second, his eyes drifted down from her eyes and onto her lips. It was a feeling he'd never really felt before, not with anyone he cared to feel it with, but he wanted to know what they tasted like. He wanted to reach up and touch her face, but just couldn't find the urge to let go of her hands that were slowly getting hotter. He didn't want to lose his Shego, the Shego he'd been missing for months.

And just like that, whatever was going on between them vanished, and she removed her hands from his.

"Why are you saying these things to me?" she whispered, and put her hands behind her back so he couldn't touch them anymore.

"Because they need to be said. And you know I'm right."

Shego looked at him. So many memories with him were flashing before her eyes. The time they'd dragged each other from the freezing water after kidnapping that Asian woman with his truth ray, the many times they'd escaped jail together, and even when they'd escaped the clutches of Mr. Sit-Down. It could have made her smile. And a part of her wanted all of it back, but something else pushed that one little yearning away, and her head told her that it wasn't right.

"You know what's best for you, Shego. And this isn't it. Tell me right now that you don't want your hands to glow this second. That's why they're hurting you. Because you're locking your true self away to please others."

"I don't need to please anybody but myself."

Drakken's eyes widened at those eight little words. Maybe he was getting through to her. That's exactly what the old Shego would have said. He almost cheered and jumped for joy, just hearing her speak that way made him so incredibly happy, he almost couldn't stand it. "Exactly, Shego. That's exactly right."

At the sound of the phone, she blinked her eyes, and the spark was gone. When she answered it, Drakken felt a little defeated.

"Hello? Oh hi, Stevie!"

When she was finally done with her phone conversation, plans with Steve already made, she turned around to continue her chat with Drakken.

But he was gone.

——————————————————————————————

A few hours later, Shego lay in bed. She should have been asleep, but her thoughts kept her awake.

Why did Drakken have to say those things to her? He made her hands hurt like they never have before, and she couldn't explain to herself how he'd made her feel. He'd made her feel… different. Like she could do whatever she wanted, and not bat an eye to anything she did. When he'd held her hands the way he did, she felt something she hadn't in a very long time. She felt powerful. In control. And she liked it.

And because she liked it, Shego couldn't help but really think about what he'd said to her. Looking back on what exactly happened the night she was changed, he was right. But that didn't mean he wasn't wrong either.

She liked her life now. She didn't have a reason not to. She wanted her friends and her family and her life like it was now, but she couldn't help but want what Drakken had made her feel also. She wanted her old confidence back. She wanted to feel like she was still running her life the way she wanted. And as Shego thought about it some more, remembering how he'd looked at her and held her hands, she didn't want Drakken to go away.

She could remember how they used to be. They're life was so free. They did whatever they wanted, when they wanted. They were so comfortable around each other.

And when thinking about that, Shego wished that she felt the same comfort around Steve. Why couldn't she be herself around him? Why couldn't she feel okay without talking to him for a while, just sitting in the same room like she did with Drakken? She always felt like some sort of conversation had to be going with him, otherwise she'd hear the dreaded sigh that would escape his lips when he as bored.

God, she hated that sigh.

And at that thought, Shego was a little shocked with herself that she'd actually found something to hate. For months living the way she did, she'd loved everything. Everything was a gift in her eyes. And now Shego found herself hating a trait in her boyfriend. And she felt just a little guilty over that.

Drakken was wrong, Shego told herself as she turned over onto her side and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come so she'd quit thinking so much. He was wrong about her not being in command of her life anymore. She wanted her life now, her good life. But couldn't stop the wish of Drakken being in it too.

She shouldn't even be having this debate, Shego told herself. Everything was fine the way it was.

With that final thought, she drifted off to sleep.

And that's when the nightmares came.

**TBC**

**A/N: I've just realized that through 12 chapters of this story, I have not once thanked any of my reviewers. I am so sorry! I thank you all so very, very much! Forgive me if I forget but I'm going to try and thank you guys after each chapter. Thanks again, my loves!**


	13. Nightmare

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 13**

**Nightmare **

_**S**__hego gasped, and a little whimper escaped her lips as she fell through the darkness. The only thing she knew as she fell was that there was fog all around her, a fog as thick as a cloud that she could actually feel it flow through her fingers as she plummeted. Her eyes were as wide as they could get, hoping desperately that if they were wide and focusing enough, she could catch a little glimpse of anything but the black. _

_Shego hated falling against her will. It was a little pet peeve she had, but then again, who _did _like falling against their will. But to Shego, it was even more horrible than the average person. _

_When she finally landed - fortunately for her she was fine - she left out an "Ooof…" and slowly stood. She knew something was different, something she was feeling now that she didn't remember feeling when she'd fallen asleep. She looked down and realized what was different. _

_She was wearing an outfit. Now the pajama's she'd slipped on before climbing into bed. She was wearing the outfit she'd worn her first day of teaching, just a few days after finding her brothers and Electronique. She pulled the hem of her skirt down a little, since it'd rode up when she stood, and looked around, fixing the headband in her hair as she did so. _

_In the dream she was alone. She figured it wasn't the worst thing that could be going on, so the solitude of it wasn't as bad as she thought it should be. There was a soft, misty quality to the dream, sort of like a seascape. She walked through a pearl-colored fog, listening to anything there was to hear. _

_Then she heard the struggle. A woman not too far off, whimpering and panting, seeming like she was trying to get away. With fear and concern flowing through her, Shego dashed into the foggiest part, hoping she could help whoever needed it. _

_The mist parted, and she saw Electronique, holding the wired attitudinator under her arm, and sneering evilly. She gasped, blinked, then gasped again, silently cursing herself because she didn't want the electrical villain to see her. But when she just kept laughing, Shego realized that she was invisible to her. _

_Shego stepped around Electronique, since she had her back to her, and wondered what the grey villain was doing that seemed so wrong. More whimpers were heard from whoever she was torturing, and Shego gasped even louder than before when she realized who it was that was struggling. _

_She saw herself, on her back and shaking, crying through it all. Screaming. A pulse began to beat in her temple as Shego listened to her own high, keening wails. She started to sweat as she stared, and the clean white fog changed to a dark, threatening grey. No longer warm, the air took on a chill that whipped straight to the bone. _

_Shego stared as she watched herself thrash about, a stream of blue, obviously from the machine, swirling over her, changing her, flipping everything that made her who she was. And Shego discovered that it hurt. She couldn' t look away as she watched herself claw at her green and black jumpsuit, trying desperately to get the blue waves off her, trying to fight for her life. _

_The cries of herself seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, echoing and rebounding all around her. Sobbing for breath, Shego dropped to her knees next to her wailing self, muttering little promises that she'd be okay, that everything would be fine. _

_The cries became louder, more urgent, her heart was beating in her throat, and her breath rasped and her hands shook. _

_And then the Shego on the floor looked at her, looked with a gaze so intense from the tears that fell from her green cheeks. She reached out to her desperately, and Shego tried to grab her hand, only to sob some more when it passed right through. And when her self she was watching - her heart breaking for her - stopped, she realized that there was no hope, excepting what was to become of herself. _

"_Remember me…" the woman on the floor, her own self, whispered, rushing it like she had only enough breath to utter those two words. _

"_I do!" Shego cried, trying to touch her anywhere, but failing miserably. "I do remember you! Don't go away!" _

_And suddenly she did just that. Shego cried for all she was worth, wishing that she'd come back so she could take care of her, to tell her that she'd protect her with all she was. _

_And then a light shown brightly, and the person she smiled for stared back at her. She was okay now, Shego told herself. _

_Drakken stood under the light, staring at her with a blank expression. Shego stood, and felt again that she was different. She looked down at the green and black jumpsuit she was now wearing instead of her skirt and jacket. It felt good. _

_Shego smiled brightly, the tears still on her face forgotten. "Look, Dr. D!" she cheered happily. "Look! I remembered! I'm me again!" She knew it was a lie. Inside, she felt like her own good and peppy self. But maybe Drakken would believe differently, and save her from this nightmare. She stared to run for him, only to discover that he flew back a little with every step she took. The smile slowly dropped, and she reached out for him._

"_Dr. D? What's going on? It's me!" _

_He just stared at her, like he wasn't all that sure her words were true. "How do I know it's really you?" _

"_What?" Shego thought hard, trying to come up with a way to convince him. It was all that mattered at the moment, the only thing she needed to do was to avenge the part of herself she saw suffering before. When he started to back so far away she could barely see him, she panicked. "Wait! It is me! I… My hands glow! You know that!" _

_She saw that he was a little uncertain still, but yet he floated closer. Shego sighed in relief. Right now, she really didn't want to be alone. _

"_I want to see them glow again," he told her. "That way, I'll know it's really you." _

_Shego nodded feverishly, and held her hands out. The ache was so strong, stronger than it had ever been before. There was no doubt in her mind that they would flare for him._

_They failed to ignite, and she tried again. She willed for her green fire to explode on her fingers, but only her green and black gloves remained. She started to get a little desperate, whimpering as she tried and tried, and tried again. _

_Nothing. _

_Her hands hurt. She'd broken bones in the past, but the pain from that was nothing like what she was feeling now. Why weren't her hands glowing? _

_Shego started to cry out, getting more and more frustrated that her power wasn't happening. And the longer it took, the smaller Drakken became. He was drifting away, away from her. _

"_No!" she screamed, and realized that she was too late. Dr. D was gone, and he was never coming back. _

_Because her hands refused to glow, that's why he disappeared. She wasn't the real Shego anymore. She was no longer the Shego she'd seen earlier on the floor. She didn't know who she was. _

_A sharp sting vibrated through her hands, and she lifted them up. They were bleeding. Blood steadily flowing from her now mangled hands. Shego's eyes widened and she took useless steps back as she panicked some more, hoping that with each step, she'd somehow get away from these ugly, bleeding hands. _

_Her back bumped into something hard and she turned around. _

"_Stevie!" she cried, feeling like she was finally saved, like her hands would be okay. But the pain was still all too real, and blood was now dripping down her arms and onto her jumpsuit. "Stevie, help." She held up her hands to show him, convincing herself that he'd somehow make them better. _

_And when he smiled in a way she'd never seen before, Shego knew she'd made the wrong choice. _

_He grabbed her hands, grabbed them with such strength, Shego lost her breath. And he squeezed. The pain was too much. Shego screamed, trying to pull them out of his grasp, calling for Kimmie, for Ron, for her brothers. For Drakken to come save her from this man crushing her already mangled hands. She willed for her green fire to come once again, but it didn't. She felt like dying. _

_Steve crushed her hands until they were nothing but bloody pulps, and Shego couldn't stop her own wailing screams. _

Shego awoke in a sweat, panting as she fought the blankets off her. When she finally fell off the bed, hitting her head on her nightstand in the process and knocking her alarm clock off and onto the same wound, Shego jumped up, searching desperately around for anyone else that could hurt her.

When all was clear and she realized how silly she was being, she looked down at herself and saw that her body had formed itself into a fighting stance, the stance she used to always use before proceeding to fight Kim Possible.

Shego quickly righted herself into a regular standing position, and winced when she felt a throbbing sting on her head.

"Ow…" She placed a hand where she'd hit the nightstand, and winced again. And then a sudden thought occurred to her.

She lifted her hands at practically the speed of light for all she knew, and gasped in relief when she discovered them fine. They weren't bleeding, they weren't deformed like they'd become in the dream, and the ache was just a small annoying feeling like it had been for days now, instead of the unbearable pain she almost couldn't take from her nightmare.

As she tried to calm herself down, her hands still shaking from shock, she looked at the clock. It was very late, or very early, however you saw it. But right this minute, while she was almost hyperventilating, she needed someone with her.

She scurried over to the phone, looking around every corner she came to for someone who could hurt her again, and got her dial tone.

Her first thought was to call Stevie. But from what had happened in her nightmare, she didn't feel like talking, or seeing, him right now. There was really only one person whose voice she wanted to hear.

She dialed, it rang a few times before someone answered, and she sighed in relief again.

"Hello?" he answered, obviously agitated, and his voice heavy with sleep. "What, what? Do you have _any_ idea what time it is?!"

"Dr, D? It's me."

"Shego?" He sounded a little shocked, and she couldn't blame him. It was passed 3 in the morning, and she felt a bit guilty for waking him. She knew he got little sleep as it was. "Shego, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yes." She smiled even though he couldn't see her, but then let it go. No use sugar coating things now. "No," she sighed.

"Tell me what's wrong."

Her hands were still shaking, she noted. And her heart was still racing. "I had a horrible nightmare."

He could hear her ragged breath when she spoke, and he could tell whatever the nightmare had been about had shaken her up. He'd never heard this tone of voice with her before. "Do you want me to come over?"

"What? No… No, it's too much to ask." She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself so she wouldn't worry him too much. "I'm… fine."

"Nonsense. Give me ten minutes."

She could already hear him getting out of bed and shuffling things around. "No, it's okay, really. You're so far away and I couldn't… Ten minutes? Where are you?"

After brushing his teeth quickly and sliding on pants he was on his way out, holding his cell phone in one hand, and keys in the other. "I'm at the Middleton lair."

"Oh… Alright then. I'll make you some coco moo."

"Sounds good." And he clicked off.

The whole drive over consisted of wondering why Shego suddenly liked calling chocolate milk coco moo. Hmm, he thought as he landed minutes later. Maybe he'd left his impact on her after all.

——————————————————————————————

At the sound of his knock Shego rushed to the door, cheering inside that she'd finally get some company after her horrifying dream. And it really was the one person she'd rather have here than anyone.

When she opened the door his face had her confused. He was staring at her, half angry and half concerned. "What?"

"You're bleeding."

Shego panicked as she instantly looked at her hands, but discovered they were perfectly fine still. Then her hands reached up to her head, and saw on her fingers the blood he was speaking of.

"Oh," she said, wiping the blood that had traveled down by her ear. "It's alright. I fell off the bed and hit the nightstand on the way down."

"Maybe you should clean that up before you get some infection."

"Yeah," she agreed, and closed the door behind him, then heading into the kitchen for a rag.

Drakken followed her, and watched as she wet the rag under the faucet, and began wiping her cheek.

"No," he said, and took the rag from her. "You're missing everything."

Shego watched his face as he cleaned her face of all blood. She looked down at his clothing, and saw that he was wearing nothing but black sweat pants and a red t-shirt. He looked rather nice in red.

Drakken inspected closely as he moved some of her hair over to see more of her wound. She'd hit it pretty bad, but nothing serious. "Too bad this didn't knock some sense into you. Otherwise you'd be going home with me and doing what you should be doing."

Shego had decided a while ago that comments like these would be usual of him. She didn't know how to explain to him that she was staying exactly as she was, regardless of what happened in the dream, and there was no use wasting breath over it. So she just stayed silent.

Once all the blood was cleaned and the bleeding stopped altogether, Drakken removed his hand from her hair. He didn't want to. It'd felt too soft and… touchable. But Shego had called him when she'd needed someone, and he didn't want to spoil anything.

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him and touching his arm softly.

As Drakken looked back at her he noticed something was slightly different. It wasn't all that to be hopeful over, but something was definitely different. She wasn't as perky, she wasn't as cheerful. The time had nothing to do with it, nor the dream. She seemed… annoyed. And somewhat defeated.

"Want to tell me what this nightmare was about?"

And with a careful nod, the two headed for her living room, and she began to tell him everything over some coco moo. Drakken listened intently the whole time, wondering what everything meant, and noticing that she felt a little embarrassed explaining what had happened, and a little peeved that she had to.

And Drakken also couldn't help but hold in a snicker when she'd told him about Stevie from the dream. He didn't like what had happened to her because of him, but the fact that Steve was the bad one, and he the one she ran to, was just so much icing on his almost icing-less cake.

But, Drakken thought regretfully, it was still only a bad dream. One that he could see Shego was still a little shaky over.

He didn't want her to feel like this, he thought when she looked down, still staring at her hands, and he knew it was to just make sure they weren't going to change like they had in her nightmare. He hated seeing her so vulnerable. He wished he could buy her old confidence back, or give her some of his. Anything to take away her shakes.

"Shego," he said quietly, and scooted closer to her on the couch. She needed someone, he told himself as he wrapped his arms around her.

Shego let him do it, and had similar thoughts. She just wanted to be held. Just for a moment. And as she leaned against him, she stared to feel a little bit better. No nightmare could hurt her now. Not Stevie, not Electronique. No one. Not right now.

His arms settled around her, cradling her almost like a baby, so she could gaze up at him more comfortably.

She rubbed her cheek against the warmth of his chest and realized what part of Drakken's charm was. He was so big and she was so small, it was like being a child again. That feeling that if someone could hold you completely, nothing could hurt you. It hadn't been true when she believed it as a very little girl when her parents had died, and it certainly wasn't true now. But it was still nice. Sometimes false comfort is better than no comfort at all.

He was stroking her hair now, softly and smoothly. And Shego's eyes suddenly got very heavy. Drakken's did too when he set his cheek on her hair, breathing in her floral scents as he soothed her back to calm.

They both fell asleep, and while she slept, no nightmares came.

She liked that.

**TBC**

**A/N: Aww, how friggin' cute. Thank you bunches to all my wonderful reviewers! You guys make me smile, and lord knows I need them.**


	14. Choice

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 14**

**Choice**

**N**o dreams came for either of them while they slept. It was a peaceful sleep for both, something he hardly ever got, and something she longed for after what she dreamt just a few hours earlier. He usually had an inner alarm clock, something that would wake him early in the morning around the same time each day. He didn't very much care for it. Some mornings he wished he could just sleep in like a normal person. He worked for himself, so he had no one to report to. Drakken always thought that was the best perk. And on spontaneous mornings, he'd try to go back to sleep, hoping to get a few more hours in before the frustration of work got to him. But it never worked, and after 15 minutes, he'd be up.

But when he awoke this morning, he surprised himself by feeling extremely refreshed. And even though the sky was still grey because of the weather, Drakken knew it wasn't the usual 6 or 7 in the morning. But finding that he'd slept in a lot later that usual wasn't the biggest surprise in store for him that morning.

His lungs held as his breathing stopped for a moment from shock, and he almost scurried away as fast as he could from that same feeling. But seeing that Shego was still soundly sleeping stopped him from completely losing it.

He remembered her nightmare, and that he'd come over to make sure she was okay. He could tell the night before that her dream had shaken her, something Shego hardly ever felt, and decided it was best to soothe. He remembered Shego falling asleep in his arms, and the vow he made to himself to stay just a few minutes until she was perfectly fine before gently laying her down on the couch and leaving. But that vow had been broken. He'd fallen asleep too.

And here they were. He'd somehow ended up on his back, his arms wrapped around her for warmth with Shego laying on his chest. He felt her steady breathing as she slept, and had to move some of her hair away from his face. There was just so much of it.

It was at that only moment when Drakken was thankful Shego wasn't quite herself. If not, then he'd no doubt be nursing some plasma burns later on.

He felt her shift, and slowly raise her head to look at his face. Drakken didn't know what to do, so he just looked back. He knew Shego wasn't prone to violence like she used to be, but that made it worse. Not knowing how she'd react when she registered that they'd actually slept together. Literally, of course.

She quickly scooted off him, a slight pink tint covering her cheekbones when everything sunk in. Her first instinct was to fix her messy hair, and she did just that as Drakken sat up himself.

Shego swallowed as each of them remained quiet. She tried to push back the annoyed feelings creeping up on her. It wasn't polite, she told herself. He'd come here at 3 in the morning just to make sure she was okay. And she was the one who called him.

A little peeved even though she really didn't want to feel it, she decided to break the uncomfortable silence. "What happened?"

"Um…" Drakken quickly thanked every god he knew of for the absence of a certain male happening that tended to appear in the mornings sometimes. Phew. "Well I'm guessing we fell asleep."

"Well no duh, Mister Obvious." After adjusting her top that had twisted and reared up a little, her eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry. No reason for me to be rude. I should be thanking you, not snipping at you."

Drakken just stared at her for a while. Inside, he was almost leaping with joy. "Are you _kidding_? That's great, Shego!"

Shego reached for a tissue from the box she kept on the small table next to the couch to wipe the past traces of makeup that had no doubt smeared on her cheeks. "What are you talking about?"

"You snipping at me! It's great!… Well, maybe not _great,_ but it's _you_. Snip all you want, sister. Believe me, I can take it."

Oh no, Shego thought. Here comes more annoyance. "Can you please not call me _sister_ after how we just woke up?"

Drakken smiled big and pulled her up once he jumped off the couch. "Shego, this is wonderful! Say something else. Tell me how bad my hair looks or how the red shirt doesn't match my skin tone."

Shego removed his arms from around her waist. After the way they'd slept all night, they were becoming too familiar there. "Um… My hair is the one that looks bad, and I really need some coffee."

When Shego looked down, he realized that maybe she needed some time to herself. He knew Shego didn't very much like it when she was seen without her 'face' on, as she called it. The only exception was when she was sick. But he didn't want to leave. Not when his Shego was coming through. He didn't want to lose that just yet. He needed it. "Alright. Is it okay if I change here?" He needed an excuse to stay. And because he cared about hygiene, he needed a shower and a toothbrush.

"But you don't have any clothes here."

"Shego, how silly of you. You of all people should know that we carry extra clothes and stuff in the hover car. You have things in there too. That was our plan, remember?"

She did remember. But telling him somehow seemed so… not herself, to her. So she just nodded, and headed for her room once he left to go get his things.

Why did she feel so… weird right now? She touched her cheek once she closed the door to her bedroom. It was still warm from resting it on his chest all night. She remembered feeling how good it had felt to have someone hold her. Someone she trusted.

Shego knew she trusted Drakken. She knew him like she knew herself. But after the things she'd said to him this morning, those snippy and sarcastic comments, Shego realized it was herself she was now having a hard time trusting.

——————————————————————————————

After Drakken showered, brushed his teeth and changed, he found Shego in the kitchen, standing in a silver robe which was tied around herself securely, and matching silver flip flop slippers. Drakken was wearing his usual attire. The scene would have been normal if only she was wearing something green. He'd realized a while ago that her closet most likely held nothing green now. It must have been too big a reminder of her past ways.

She was staring down into the almost empty mug she held in her hands, and Drakken knew something wasn't quite right with her. She wasn't smiling, something she did a lot nowadays, and Drakken didn't know if that was good or bad. But she didn't seem annoyed anymore. So her expression left him confused.

"I need to say something," she said all of a sudden, and set her mug down on the counter.

"Okay."

After swallowing, she raised her face to meet his eyes. "I think I might be misleading you."

Drakken simply crossed him arms and stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"You need to understand something. I am the way I am now. And I can't let snippy comments or sarcastic remarks change that. I get these certain feelings when I'm with you, and I don't like them. They're not who I am."

Drakken raised his brow, and continued to look at her. He missed this. He missed it when they use to pick fights at each other, just to blow off some steam. If she wanted a fight, he'd give her one. She wanted him to understand something that was false. It was about time she got some tough love, and was told how things were supposed to be. "And that's where you're wrong," he began, and noticed her slightly stunned face. She was used to everyone else agreeing with her. He was the exception. "You don't like those feelings because they bring out the worst of you. And that's exactly what you've shown everyone all your life, even when you were a hero. That _is_ who you are, and how you always will be. And being around me isn't going to change that. You are snippy, you are sarcastic."

"No, I'm not. Not anymore." She was feeling annoyed again. She didn't like it. But it was annoying to be told she was those things when she'd gone to the trouble to mask it. "I can imagine you want me to say different. But no matter what you do or say, I'm still going to be just the way I am now. Because that's what I've chosen to be."

"You're also a liar. Like you just proved with that one little statement." He held her gaze, even when she tried to look away. "Did you choose to have that sparky woman zap you into becoming something you hate? I highly doubt it."

The look on her face was one of barely restrained frustration. "I can't trust myself when I'm around you."

"Let's get something straight, Shego."

"By all means."

"You feel that way around me because I know you better than anyone. That's why we were so good together, as a team. I tell you the truth, but it seems like you'd rather believe everyone else's lies. You're not good, you don't want to teach a bunch of brats that give you no respect. But go ahead, Shego. Do whatever you want."

"Cut it out, Drakken."

"No, you cut it out. Go ahead and believe everything. Believe what Kim Possible tells you. Because it's just what you want to hear, and not the truth. But like I said, I tell you the truth. So trust me when I tell you that one day, it won't only be me you'll be with when those feelings come at you again. Something will happen, and you'll give."

"Stop it." The frustration rippled again, more visibly. "You're just selfish. You want me back to the way I was because you have no one else. I don't _want_ to be your sidekick anymore. If you've got some jitters that I'm somehow going to spin you in my web until you're acting just as good as I am, that's your problem." She shot a finger at him, and her expression was no longer easy and reasonable, but had hardened into a sneer. "I don't want that old life with you. But that doesn't mean I don't want you absent either. I was willing to put aside our differences and still be friends, and I still am. But you have to know that I'm not changing. So go find yourself some other girl to boss around."

"Are you going to stand there and tell me that you'll be happy doing this for the rest of your life? Letting everyone take advantage of you and let you believe a lie? Well I'm sorry, but I simply can't do that. I told you I would be there for you, and having your personality changed doesn't make that any different." He stepped closer, and she took a small step back. "You had better get used to those unwanted feelings, Shego. Because I'm not going away, and I will continue to tell you the truth. Kim Possible is the selfish one. If you had any reasonable brains left, you'd see and understand that."

When he stomped out of the kitchen, she found herself following. She'd stick it out. She'd hear everything he had to say.

"I tell you the truth, Shego," he repeated as he opened her door and stepped out. "It's your fault if you don't want to hear it. But it will sink in eventually."

She stared at the door once he left, feeling annoyed and hurt all at once.

——————————————————————————————

In loose cotton pants in a soft pink shade and matching top, Kim hung up her phone and gently placed it on it's charger on her nightstand. Sitting cross legged on her bed, she stared at her hands once they held nothing, and just thought for a while.

She'd just got off the phone with Shego, and the woman seemed pretty upset. She said she needed to talk, so Kim listened. Being Ron-less left her weekends a little bare, and Kim found she had nothing to do except give her friend a willing ear.

She'd been a little shocked and saddened from what Shego had told her. She knew she shouldn't have felt the shock - lets face it, Drakken was one determined guy - but she supposed the shock came from the way Shego had acted with him. And after the shock had passed from that, then came the sadness.

She didn't want Shego turning back into how she used to be. She liked having her as her friend. She came to depend on her. And being a little selfish, Kim could really live without the beatings and taunts. She still fought a little crime now and then, but after much thought she came to realize that Drakken and Shego were her main villains, her arch foes. She never realized how constant they were in her life until one became her friend and teacher, and the other seemingly lost.

And because Kim's crime fighting career was slow these days, she couldn't help but feel a little lost too.

She hoped Shego had told her every little detail about what had happened. But she figured if she was okay telling her that the two had slept on her couch all night together, and waking up in an intimate position, then other details couldn't have been forgotten.

There was one statement from Shego's story that seemed to stick with Kim the most. Something Drakken had said.

_Go ahead and believe everything. Believe what Kim Possible tells you. Because it's just what you want to hear, and not the truth. _

It was bugging her to a point where she wanted something to distract herself with, but knew that she had to have an inner discussion, and decide what the next step would be.

Was she being selfish? Kim knew somewhere in the back of her mind that it was true. She wanted Shego to stay as her big sister, of sorts. She liked having her around. But of course, keeping Shego away from Drakken when he was on the search for her was kind of selfish.

Kim sighed as she laid back and stared up at the ceiling.

She wasn't perfect, although some people tended to think otherwise. She got her feelings hurt, she didn't get A's on everything in school, she missed a few flips here and there while cheerleading, and she'd been grounded like every other teenager. She made mistakes. She even made them on purpose sometimes, just so she could feel the guilt.

And Kim knew right then and there that guilt had been her problem all along.

She felt guilty about keeping Shego away from discovering her true self again. She felt guilty that Drakken didn't seem as happy as he normally did, before all this had happened. And she felt guilty now for ditching Ron all those times, just so she could be selfish some more, and keep Shego with her.

Kim covered her face and sighed again. What should she do? If she helped Drakken in getting Shego back to her old self, she'd lose a very great friend, someone she really didn't want to go away. But if she kept Shego thinking the way she was, she'd hate herself for doing something that wronged a lot of people.

So how could she keep Shego as her friend, change her back to evil again, make Drakken his old self by doing just that, and get her old relationship with Ron back, all at the same time?

Simple, Kim told herself. She couldn't. Sacrifices must be made. Kim knew she wasn't perfect, and because of that, she couldn't get everything she wanted.

Kim sat up and headed downstairs. She needed help. She needed a second opinion. And there was only one person she trusted so completely to help her with just that.

"Hey, Dad," she said, and took a seat across from him at the dinner table.

"Hey there, Kimmie-Cub." James Possible dropped a set of blueprints onto the table, and looked at his daughter. "Not getting any better, huh?"

Kim shook her head, and knew that it was time again to dye her hair. The slight grey kept coming back, as did the runny nose, cough, sleepy eyes, and paleness. "No. I've tried everything. Nothing seems to be working."

"Hmmm." He knew something was wrong, something plaguing her. He knew that look. She always stared at her hands too much when she was speaking with him if something was on her mind. Something troubling. "Maybe your mother can give you something else. Want to tell me what's wrong?"

Kim almost smiled at the fact that he knew she needed to talk to him about something important right on the spot. It was one of the things she loved best about him. "I have a problem, and I'm not sure what to do."

"Is this about Ronald? Because that black hole is always waiting for him."

"No…" Kim shook her head slowly, the familiar pain of missing him creeping up on her. "No, not Ron. It's about Shego."

"Oh." What could this be about? he thought. "Go on."

"Do you… I think… Um." What was she supposed to say? Hey, Dad, I feel like I'm doing a horrible thing and keeping her from who she really is? That sounded… stupid. And a lot more horrible. "I'm beginning to feel like her being the way she is isn't right."

James raised his brow. "Oh," he repeated, but with a lot more understanding. "I see."

"You know the story. You always know the story. I feel like I'm… keeping her from being herself." There, that sounded a little better. "I just want things to be the way they should."

He stayed silent for a moment, thinking, thinking of what he should say, and how he should say it. But wise words of wisdom always came a lot easier with Kim than with the boys. "Kimmie," he began, and took her hand in the fatherly gesture she knew so well. "You've always wanted to do the right thing. It's just who you are. People come with flaws, and you've always hated that about yourself. But you shouldn't beat yourself up over this. You thought you could give Miss Shego a better life, and in the process, you became great friends. It's not wrong to want to keep something like that."

Kim watched him intently, just like she always did when she needed his advice.

"Doing the right thing usually means giving up something that seems apart of yourself. You love helping people, but because of that, you gave up the chance to experience life the way it should be for teenagers your age. Do you have any regrets over that?"

Kim coughed a little as she shook her head. "No."

"You chose to do something that seems impossible. You've just told me you love doing what you do. What do you love about it?"

Kim went back and revisited. She smiled as she remembered all the fun times she had, all the missions she went on with her best friend. Ron losing his pants made her giggle softly. "I love the excitement, the adventure. I just want things to be the way they should be. I want others to be happy, like I am. I like knowing that there's a sort of… balance to everything."

"And how would you feel if something were to disturb that, to change that? What if there was no more excitement or adventure, and your life was turned completely upside down?"

Kim stared at him for a moment, and closed her eyes to try and envision it. No more missions. No more helping. No more saving the world. No more Ron losing his pants.

She felt empty. She couldn't do anything. She wasn't all that.

Kim sighed and opened her eyes. "I don't feel like myself."

James nodded and squeezed her hand comfortingly. "Exactly."

"I wouldn't want that."

"Nope."

Kim knew what she had to do. It hurt, the realization hurt. She stood, and kissed her father's cheek. "Thanks, Daddy."

He smiled and picked his work back up, his mood going from serious, back to goofy dad. "Anytime, Kimmie-Cub."

Kim thought, sitting across from her father again. A specific time came to mind as her mind raced. She remembered when Drakken had been attitudinated. She'd calmly explained to him that he needed to turn evil again, and he'd told her he didn't want to, that he'd rather stay the way he was, instead of doing more bad things.

"We live by the choices we make, Kimmie," James told her, taking a careless sip of whatever it was he was drinking from his cup. "If we don't make our own choices, than we aren't truly living, now are we?"

Kim raised, and decided that she needed a walk in the cool air. She needed more time to think, and make her plan. "No."

"Kimmie," he called when she began to walk away. "I know you'll do the right thing."

She couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I will." Once she was outside, pulling her white sweater on, she believed it. "I'll make things right again," she muttered to herself.

She'd told Drakken that it was better if he was bad. And he knew she was right on some level. That was who he was. He'd made his choice to turn evil all on his own. It was what he wanted, what he decided for himself.

Shego didn't deserve anything different. It was better if she was bad too, for everyone. Kim frowned against the cold, sniffing, and discovered that her nose seemed a little bit clearer now.

Doing the right thing was so hard.

**TBC**

**A/N: I'm sorry that I didn't update this thing when I normally update it. Christmas took up some time, and now I just had two people die, so I've had 15,000 people staying at my house for the funerals. But I'm back. Hopefully it was with a vengeance**. **Thank you to all my reviewers, especially the one who PM-ed me, wanting me to hurry up and update. This chapter is for you, sweetheart. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone (I know I'm late), and Happy New Year!**


	15. Break

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 15**

**Break**

_**S**__tupid cold,_ Shego thought as she drove to work, and impatiently waiting for her car to finally heat and defrost her bones. At that moment, she wished she could be on some island somewhere. Florida would have been perfectly fine with her. But here she was, on her way to work and freezing.

Dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a winter white sweater, Shego drummed her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, and couldn't wait to finally arrive at the school where she could get some nice hot coffee. Her car was obviously taking way too long to heat, so something hot, no matter what it was, seemed like heaven at the moment.

Shego yawned and wondered why she was heading to work an hour early. She'd barely gotten any sleep the night before, and she blamed Drakken for that. His words had kept her up, and the more she thought about it the more she realized that it was also the reason she was going to the school so early. She needed something to do besides lay in bed, something to distract herself with so she couldn't hear his voice in her mind. She needed work, and Stevie. He'd definitely get her mind off her former boss.

Shego scoffed as she turned the car, her teeth beginning to clatter. She didn't care what Drakken said. He was _wrong_. And that's all there was to it. He was wrong about her, and he was wrong about Kim. Kimmie knew what was best for her, and she was just respecting the choices she'd made. Why on _earth_ would she want to go back to a life of crime when she had a lovely life here? She didn't have to run anymore. She didn't have to fight or get injured while fighting. She didn't have to worry about a reputation, or who was being dishonest, or if she was still the number one bad female on the list. She didn't _care_ anymore! It was all so silly.

Sure, the pay was a lot better, there was more excitement, and she could do whatever she wanted when she was a villain without having to worry about the consequences. And so what if her and Drakken weren't as close as they once were. They'd both get over. She'd gotten over it, and now Kimmie was her new best friend. And her new best friend wouldn't try something… mean like planting a mind control chip on her forehead. Life was good. Her new life was safe. She liked having people see her as a good person, instead of cowering away or simply annoying her on the spot. She liked when random people would smile at her and say sweet things like "Have a nice day", and she'd say "Why thank you", instead of saying something snarky or ignoring them all together. Or both.

Shego cringed and clenched her teeth when she heard him in her head once again.

_You don't like those feelings because they bring out the worst of you._

Exactly, she argued with the voice in her head that was Drakken's. What was the point of living if that's all anyone ever saw of you. The worst you could possibly be.

_That _is_ who you are, and how you always will be._

No it wasn't! Shego grasped the steering wheel a little tighter. She'd proved that. She was a better person now. She gave to charity, she let babies keep their candy, she bought pink clothes, for god's sake!

_You are snippy, you are sarcastic._

Shego growled, and suddenly swerved her car to evade the oncoming pick-up truck that almost plowed right into her. Once her car had stopped, frustration bubbling in her like boiled water, she rolled down her window as the other driver did the same.

"Hey!" she yelled, her growl still in her voice and making the other driver scowl. "I'm driving here!"

"Watch where you're going next time, lady!" The man pointed to the STOP sign behind here. "You almost killed me!"

Shego looked back, stared at the sign, and realized that she didn't even notice it. He was right, she told herself. She almost killed them both because she didn't stop and let him go first. "Oh…" She looked back at him, and softened her voice and her expression. She had no right yelling at him that way. "I… I'm sorry," she told him calmly and began rolling her window back up slowly. "I didn't… see it."

She drove off before she could embarrass herself even more.

This was all Drakken's fault. He was the reason she was yelling at innocent people. She could have seriously hurt that man, or he could have called the police because of her rash attitude. Or faked whiplash. She'd seen it dozens of times.

She'd told him that she couldn't trust herself when around him. It seemed she couldn't do that when she was thinking about him either. He was the one who brought out the worst of her, Shego decided as she pulled into the school parking lot. He was making her lash out at people, and get irritated at the smallest of things, like the weather. He was making her act the way she used to. He was making her become what she tried so hard to keep from happening, or feeling. Mean, just like him.

Just like a villain.

——————————————————————————————

Busying herself in her work, Shego actually found that it kept her mind from straying where it didn't belong. There was about a half hour until class would start, and that would no doubt distract her even more. She was proud of herself for keeping a clear head, and giving everyone she passed in the hallway and big bright smile, and telling them what a joy it was to work with them.

Hah, she thought as her fingers danced over the keys to her computer. Take that, mean villainous thoughts. And Drakken.

When her phone began to ring, Shego stopped her typing momentarily to pick it up, and resumed once she held it with her shoulder to her ear. "Yes, hello?"

"Hello, Miss Go. This is Mister Rockwaller. Bonnie's father."

"Oh, hi!" she replied brightly, smiling even though her couldn't see her. "What can I do for you?"

"I was just going through Bonnie's work and found some interesting papers. It says here that she's failing."

He had a gruff voice, one that reminded Shego of her own father. This man no doubt was the type of father to see his daughter succeed. No matter who they had to step on to get there. "Yes, I'm afraid she is. But you see--."

"When I confronted her about it she said it was because you weren't being fair to her. Bonnie has never had a problem with any of her teachers in the past. What seems to be the problem?"

The first bubble of annoyance simmered, but she held it back, knowing she must deal with this is a calm, collected manner. "Problem?"

"Yes. Bonnie is a smart girl. I'll ask you politely to drop whatever you hold against her. She's very upset about it."

Shego's eyes widened a little as she stared at the empty desk that Bonnie always sat in. "I think you're mistaken, Mister Rockwaller. Bonnie is failing because she refuses to do the work, and the extra credit that I assign to her every week."

"Listen, Miss Go," he said, disregarding her comments completely. "Bonnie plans to become a lawyer. She can't do that if she doesn't graduate, now can she?"

Shego wondered if it was what Bonnie wanted to do, or if it was what her father expected of her. She was going for choice number two.

"If you don't get her grades back up immediately, I'll be forced to report you, and have her taken from your class. I'm a powerful man, Miss Go. My children are a reflection of me. Keep that in mind when you put your grades in."

The line disconnected, and Shego was left with a dead dial tone and amazement. She hung the phone up, and wondered what on earth had happened to her normal, conflict-free life.

At the sound of the school bell, Shego decided to forget about the Bonnie problem for the day, and deal with it when she was in a better mind set.

Mister Rockwaller was probably having a bad day, just like her. It would pass. She just knew it would.

——————————————————————————————

Shego couldn't help but feel a little numb and exhausted at the end of the day. She went through her classes like normal, no outbursts or unwanted thoughts showing up, and she was thankful.

But the fact that she refused to bring up her earlier conversation with Bonnie was nagging at her. She should have said something and reasoned with her. She wanted Bonnie to tell her father the truth, and remove the blame. Shego had done nothing but try and help her, and it was her student that refused it. But yet she did nothing. Bonnie fell asleep in class, and Shego found herself ignoring it. She didn't want to blow up like she'd done with the driver. Maybe if she acted like she used to before talking to Drakken that day, she'd go right on back to her peppy, fun self.

As all the students went to their lockers and whatever else they did after their last class, Shego smiled brightly when Kim walked up to her desk. Finally, something to make her feel better. She needed it.

"Hey, KP! How are you? I haven't seen you in a while."

"Hi, Shego."

Kim had finally come to terms with what she had to do. It was better this way. She'd lose Shego as a friend, something she found she treasured deeply, but she'd do what had to be done to make things right, and possibly get Ron back. But those thoughts didn't stop her from feeling nervous.

"You know," Shego began, eyeing Kim carefully. "You look a little better. Your nose isn't as red. Must have been those lotion tissues I got for ya, huh?"

Kim smiled. "Must be." She waited until everyone had exited Shego's classroom, and realized that this was as good a time as any to begin what she had to do. "We need to talk, Shego."

"Sure. Is this about Christmas? Because I need to know what to get you."

"No, um… Shego, this is important. I just need you to hear me out, okay?"

Shego looked at Kim for a few seconds. "Are you pregnant?"

"What? No!" Kim shook her head frantically. "No, I… Just listen." How do you start a conversation this way? It was something she didn't want to do, but had to do. And Kim kept that thought in her head. It made it a little easier. "Shego, this… this isn't working out. This isn't how things should be. You don't want this."

Shego was still looking at her friend, and was glad that she seemed to be getting a little bit better. "I don't want what?"

Kim took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "This life."

Shego looked into Kim's eyes for a few moments before moving them down to her desk, and the things on it's surface. "My life is just fine."

"Of course you think so. Anyone in your position would."

Shego decided that shutting down her computer was worth staring at instead of Kim's face. "My position?"

Kim noticed the denial, and sort of expected it. She still didn't know if this task would be easy or hard. That all depended on the woman in front of her. Kim had a bad feeling that it would be taking the hard route. "Shego… You were changed."

Shego's eyes suddenly snapped on Kim's, and for a split second, the will to brace for an attack came, and she tried her hardest to keep from moving.

"Please, Shego. Try to understand. I want to help you."

Shego could feel the betrayal. She hated it. Kim, of all people. The one person she thought would stand by her was now throwing her to the sharks. "Help me?"

"Wade is trying to find another Attitudinator. It doesn't look good because they stopped making them, but I promise you we'll get you back to normal. Wade said it couldn't hurt for you to start acting like you used to, even though you must not want to."

Shego shook her head slowly. She was starting to feel closed in, starting to feel like she couldn't breathe. First Drakken, now Kimmie. Her two constants.

They were beginning to feel like the enemy.

Shego swallowed, and stood.

"It would be better for everyone. You especially. Trust me on that," Kim said, but her words seemed unheard.

She almost couldn't take it. Her hands seemed to throb, and because they were throbbing, her awful dream came back to haunt her. This was all because of this talk, Shego told herself. She didn't want to yell at Kimmie, the girl really was just trying to do what she thought was right, just like she'd always done.

Shego continued to try to think good thoughts of Kim instead of what she was really feeling as she gathered her things, trying not to look at the redhead who was slowly betraying her. Kim was a good girl. She'd always been. Shego squeezed her hands and thought of all the times Kim had done something good, something thoughtful and helpful to others and herself.

She tried to think of that, but an image of a green leather jacket appeared instead.

_Don't worry, it'll look better on me._

Shego closed her eyes and shook her head again. Maybe it would work if she simply didn't think at all. But that was impossible. Too many thoughts were crowding within her mind. She couldn't push them away, no matter how hard she tried.

_You know what I really hate?_

Oh no, Shego thought and cringed, wishing Kim would just go away until she calmed down and got a better handle on things. She couldn't be thinking of that. She just couldn't. But Kim's voice, just as Drakken's had earlier, kept entering her mind, making her think of that one memory she wished she'd forgotten. Shego tried to make a dash for the door, only to have Kim grab her arm and stop her.

"We are who we are, Shego. This isn't you. This isn't what you want." She knew Shego was trying to escape, but she needed to hear this. She knew Drakken was somewhat getting to her. Maybe all she needed was a little push. "You're evil."

_That your date melted?_

Shego tugged at her arm. Alarms, sirens, and everything else that made a threatening noise screamed within. She could feel a whimper coming on, but used all her energy to keep it back. "Leave me alone," she whispered, and tugged again.

"I can't, Shego. This is somewhat my fault too."

Shego stared into Kim's eyes, and felt the kick in her belly before the words were spoken in her memory.

_No. You. _

"Stop!" Shego yanked her arm free and trotted down the halls, panting softly, and ignoring all the looks she got from the students around her. She had to get home. She felt sick. Everyone was mean, she repeated in her mind as the memory of fried hair and scattered bruises from a fallen electrical tower eased away. Everyone was out to get her.

Shego rammed into someone, almost causing both of them to fall as she tried to scurry out of the high school. She looked over, and saw the very last person she needed to see right now.

Bonnie picked her cell phone up from the floor and glared at Shego. "Walk much, Miss Go?" The look she was given could only be described as unworthy. Shego started to shake and her hands began to warm. "It's easy, you know. You just put one foot right in front of the other." Bonnie scoffed at her, actually making a "Hmph" sound, and trotted away with her nose in the air.

Kim braced for it. Shego felt it and could do nothing.

She exploded.

Bonnie squealed when a strong hand wrapped itself around her upper arm, and forcibly yanked her around. Her eyes widened as she stared into Miss Go's fiery ones. All the kids around her gasped and turned to watch, and she actually heard some boy yell, "Cat fight!"

"Listen here, Miss Priss!" Shego yelled, and yanked Bonnie again, actually enjoying the fear she gave off, savoring it. "I don't care _what_ your daddy does. But if he dares to call me up and threaten me again, you're gonna be one half of an orphan, got it? And if you don't start doing your work like a good little girl, I'm gonna have to take a ruler to your knuckles, and I promise you it'll hurt. _Quit _ignoring me when I teach, quit _screwing_ with me, and _quit_ speaking to me like I'm beneath you! I'm your goddamn _teacher_! If I don't get 100% respect from you I'll fail your tight, little ass so hard you won't graduate until 2015! And that starts this very second."

Shego pushed Bonnie away, gave her and everyone who was watching one last glare, and stormed throw the doors.

As Bonnie ran off crying, Kim discovered a small smile on her lips. The only thing missing was Shego glowing hands. But she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

Kim left school for the day, the sounds of laughing and cheering booming behind her.

——————————————————————————————

Kim didn't know what to think of the fact that Shego had been absent from school for the rest of the week. Bonnie of course had went to Mister Barkin, but hearing of Shego's termination as teacher was nonexistent. She tried calling Shego, but judging by what had happened the last time they spoke, Kim decided that maybe a few days to herself couldn't hurt. She had a lot of thinking to do, and Kim hoped it was pushing her in the direction she needed to take.

Wade was still unsuccessful at finding another attitudinator. It was almost as if they'd never been invented. But pointers on reminding Shego who exactly she truly was had to have some sort of effect, Wade had told her. It was clearly visible, and Kim planned on continuing her treatment, of sorts.

But for some reason, the look on Shego's face when Kim told her exactly what needed to happen that day at school showed up in her mind a lot. That betrayed, broken look. She hated seeing it from her, but knew it was probably for the best.

As the week came to an end, Kim needed to see her. Feeling worried was interfering with her sleep, and she just wanted to know if Shego was okay. Or maybe she'd seen the light, and was back with Drakken, being her old snotty self.

The anticipation for a good fight bubbled inside her, and Kim smiled at the progress she was making. Less hurt, more happy.

Kim knocked on Shego's door, wondering what she would be in store for. She hoped she wasn't home. She hoped she was somewhere in the Caribbean. But after seeing a slight ruffle of the curtains beside the door, Kim knew that wasn't the case. And when she saw the other woman, Kim was shocked at her state.

Shego breathed heavily, her eyes red and puffy, and her skin even paler than it already was, if that were possible. And it was possible. Shego was a total wreck. And Kim found her heart breaking for her, the urge to care taking over.

"Shego, look at you! What's the matter?"

"Oh, Kimmie!" Shego grabbed Kim's shoulders and yanked her to her chest, holding on and beginning to sob. "Kimmie, I'm sorry! I'm a bad girl! I didn't mean it!"

Kim swallowed and gently patted her on the back.

"I-I don't know what came over me… I'm sorry," she murmured against Kim's hair, and sniffed. "Please don't be mad at me, Kimmie. I just want to be good. I can't deal with it…"

Once Kim finally got Shego to sit down, she handed her the box of tissues so she could wipe her face. "Just breathe, Shego. It's okay."

"No, it's not," she said, dabbing at her eyes. "But I just want to forget about it. Please, Kimmie. Let's just… go back to normal. Okay?"

The look Shego gave her had Kim letting her guard down. This woman was totally defeated, and she didn't know what to do. There had to be another way, Kim told herself, and she soothed Shego some more. She couldn't do this alone. Ron was out of the question, and so were Shego's brothers. They wouldn't dare help her change their sister back, just when she wanted to be a part of the family again. She needed help - other than Wade - big time.

There was only one other person for the job.

**TBC**


	16. Wanting

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 16**

**Wanting**

**D**rakken tried to sleep each night as the days went by, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw Shego's face. Not the face of now, but the face of the past, when she'd still been his sidekick. He could see her perfectly, if he concentrated hard enough. He didn't know why he never realized how pretty her eyes were. But then again, another thing he didn't realize back then was that he'd harbored feelings for her.

He just wanted her back. What did he have to do to make her understand? Was it really too much to ask to have his evil sidekick back?

A week had gone by since they last spoke, and Drakken figured it was time for another visit. He told her that he'd keep showing up, keep on trying to explain to her that she was a fake. And that's what he intended to do. Dr. Drakken could be extremely stubborn when he wanted to, and somewhere in that goody head of hers, Shego knew that. Because she was the very same thing.

Just as he was about to leave the lair, the screen clicked on. And the face of the person he hated the most appeared right before him.

"Kim Possible!?"

Kim sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. I know this is weird."

Drakken glared and clenched his fists. "Weird isn't the right word for it. More like irritating!" He didn't think it was possible to hate her more than he already did, but because she kept Shego away from him and as she was now, he discovered that it _was_ possible. He hated her even more. "What do you want?"

"Look, Drakken," Kim began, knowing that this wouldn't be an easy conversation. Talking to him was never easy. "I would appreciate it if you just took the time to hear what I had to say before going all villain on me."

"Well in case you haven't noticed, Kimberly Ann, I am a villain! And what on earth makes you think I'd stop to have a little chit chat with you? Get off my screen!"

"No!" Kim yelled, wanting to do just that and never have to speak to this man again. But she was on a mission. "It's about Shego."

"Haven't you done enough to Shego? You two are just good ol' pals, aren't you. If it doesn't involve her magically becoming the woman she used to be, then you have nothing important to say to me." He reached for the button to disconnect her himself, since she obviously wasn't going to leave.

"I want to help you, Drakken."

His hand stopped right above the switch, and he stared at her. "What?"

"I agree with you," she continued, and felt just a little low for saying the words. "It's… It's not her. You're right. And I want to help."

He couldn't believe this. The very girl who was so against him throughout this whole thing was now agreeing with him. He wanted to smile smugly, wanted to enjoy the sweet satisfaction. But because she was so against it before, Drakken couldn't help but feel suspicious. Maybe this was all a trick. He didn't know exactly _how_ it could be a trick, but Kim Possible was always surprising him, and ruining everything. And maybe that's what her main plan was. To ruin his chances. That was something he couldn't afford to happen at all.

"I don't need your help."

"Drakken," she said, looking at him in a way he'd never seen before. "We need to help each other out. Ever since you showed back up she's been getting these feelings. She's actually been acting more like herself. I think we can use that."

Drakken stared at her again. He already knew this was happening. He knew he was having some sort of effect. But to hear Possible tell him now, he hoped Shego was acting a little more like herself than he thought. He wanted to ask what else had happened when he hadn't been there, but he figured that would make it seem like he was actually contemplating the idea of working with her.

Shego had little bits of herself come through because of him, and he was doing just fine on his own.

"I don't need your help," he repeated, and enjoyed the shocked expression that appeared on Kim's face when he refused her. She obviously wasn't expecting that answer. "I don't need it, or want it."

And then he disconnected her.

Possible was no doubt feeling guilty, Drakken concluded as he made his way towards the hover car. And she deserved to feel just that. He'd get Shego back all on his own.

Kim Possible could go eat a naco and slam it.

——————————————————————————————

Shego stared into the mirror as she calmly brushed her hair, sparing a glance every now and then at the check on the counter that seemed to smile up at her. The number was long, and she was thankful for that. She'd need as much money as she could get until she found a new job.

The whole scene with Bonnie had ended things for her. But Shego knew that getting fired was something that was bound to happen. You can't grab students painfully and threaten them the way she did in today's world. Not without terrible consequences. It was one of the reasons why she'd been so upset after coming home that day. She knew what was in store for her. She even accepted her fate before entering Steve's office and having the meeting which ended her career.

She wished she could change what had happened. If she'd just kept it together for just a little longer, she would have been on her way home and exploded in the car if it was inevitable. But it was something that she couldn't do, and her anger was taken out on poor Bonnie.

Another thing Shego wished she could change was the fact that she didn't really care that it had been Bonnie. She knew the girl deserved it, and she couldn't bring herself to feel any pity. She wished she could, but she simply didn't. The only thing she felt when thinking of Bonnie was satisfaction that she got what was coming to her. If it had to have been someone, she was glad it was the stuck up cheerleader.

Shego put her brush down and picked her check up, looking at it again.

And the very last thing she wished she could change was the image she had in her mind of Stevie's face when he told her she couldn't work there anymore. He'd been upset. He didn't want to fire her. He agreed that Bonnie was a pain and deserved what she got. He said he was sorry, and that it was the very last thing he wanted to do.

He told her he loved her.

And Shego could only smile and give him a kiss.

She couldn't say it back because it wasn't true. She didn't know what was stopping her, considering that he was a wonderful guy who would do anything for her. It hurt her to know that firing her had hurt him so terribly. She wished she could tell him she loved him too, just to make him feel good. He'd only been a great person, and didn't deserve to wait around, hoping that the next day would be the day she felt something more.

But it was something she couldn't do. She just needed a little more time, enough time to figure out what was wrong with her. Why she was having these mood swings, why she was thinking things that she shouldn't dare to be thinking, and why she still seemed to be thinking of everything Drakken had said to her the last time she saw him.

Shego sat on her couch, still staring at the check. And she felt a little pain in her chest from looking at the numbers now.

Her Miami house had finally sold. She'd received a check in the mail yesterday from the bank. She didn't think it ever would, since it was so pricy because of the location, but it did sell, and she had enough to use until a new job came calling her name.

The beach house was one of her favorite things. She could remember it now when thinking back. She'd wanted to get rid of everything from her old life, to start anew. And the beach house was just another thing that had to go. So selling it was the only option, an option that would benefit her, as much as it would the new owner. She hoped that whoever it belonged to now was as happy as she'd been with it.

She needed to put the money in the bank where it'd be safe, and decided to do just that. Shego grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

When she returned about an hour later because traffic was terrible, a big box sat in front of her door. It was almost as big as her, and Shego wondered if she'd bought anything. She shook her head, answering her own question, and lugged the huge cardboard box inside after she opened her door.

Shego opened it with a pair of scissors after pushing it into her living room, and wondered who there was to send her anything. Maybe it was from her brothers. But what could her brothers be giving her?

Shego's eyes slowly widened as she looked inside, and her heart seemed to sink within her chest.

_But maybe you could box it all up and send it to me?_

Her own voice echoed in her head as she stared down at all the green and black jumpsuits. There was other stuff underneath, but she figured he'd cushioned the other things with her jumpsuits so nothing would happen to any of it.

She remembered when Drakken had called her, wanting her to retrieve all her things from the lair so they could both move on. She couldn't get there, so she politely asked him if he could box it all up and send it. And here it was. The big box that contained her previous life.

Shego swallowed as she reached in to pick one jumpsuit up. She'd loved the stretchy fabric it was made from. It always made fighting a little bit easier on her. And they were so soft. She almost scowled at herself when remembering how picky she'd been about everything. Her jumpsuits were only made from the softest, most maneuverable cloth, and she'd settled for nothing less.

She never really appreciated the designer she'd kidnapped a few weeks after signing on with Dr. Drakken for all his hard work when making more of them.

Because she couldn't help it, she lifted the jumpsuit and rubbed it on her cheek. So many memories flashed through her mind, and a small smile appeared at her lips. She wanted to try the suit on, but was afraid of what would happen if she did. She'd been acting like a bad girl enough lately, and thought of Stevie to make the want of feeling her green and black outfit on her skin go away. She had him to think of now.

Shego dug through the box again, and pulled out something that caused a slight blush to spread across her cheeks. She clutched her little stuffed penguin in her hands, and couldn't believe that Drakken had actually seem this. But it wasn't like she slept with this thing every night, Shego told herself. Only when she was sick or feeling a little down. And Muffin had been in her family for years. It wasn't like she could just throw it away. The poor thing…

Shego clutched Muffin to her chest, and frowned a little. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so sad. Maybe it was the fact that cuddling with Muffin in secrecy had been the only one that seemed to comfort her when she's been a villain. She wished now that someone, anyone, could have made her feel better. She'd been injured after her fights with Kimmie. She felt just as depressed when a scheme went south as Drakken had, absolutely hating the fact that they'd failed once again.

Shego closed her eyes and wished that just once Drakken could have understood that she'd felt just as bad as he did when they failed, and at least wanted to give her some soothing words.

She may not have accepted his comfort back then, but it was at least nice to know that he cared.

Shego's eyes popped open when she heard someone knocking at her door, and quickly rushed to get everything back in the box, and hide it. She didn't want whoever it was to see that she'd been looking into the box that contained her evil self. It seemed… embarrassing.

She had just enough time to push the box to her room and inside her closet when whoever was knocking seemed to think it was okay to just waltz right on in.

Shego was about to say something coming out of her room about proper manners, but her voice escaped her for the moment.

"Shego, how many times have I told you that you need to lock the doors? You did this with the hover car, the SUV, and the lair. Don't come crying to me when you come home one day and everything's gone."

A chill ran up her spine when seeing him, and she didn't think it was the gust of cold air that swept into her apartment when he'd opened her door. Something hot stirred in her belly, and she didn't know how to feel about that.

She blamed it on thinking about him too much. That must be it.

"I know what you've come here to say," she began, and sat on the couch again. An image of them cuddled up together like they were the night of her nightmare appeared in her mind, but she shook it away. "And I don't feel like hearing it. I've had a rough week."

"Really?" He joined her at the couch, and carelessly put his feet up. "Maybe you've had a rough week because you keep thinking about what I said to you the last time we spoke."

She had a horrible urge to roll her eyes, but pushed that back as well. "No." It was, of course, a lie. If she hadn't been thinking about him and his words so much lately she wouldn't have exploded the way she did at school. Probably. "I… I've just had a rough week. Let's leave it at that."

Because she was looking down at her hands, the hands that she still refused to ignite, and a slight frown upon her lips, Drakken couldn't stop his next question. "Want to talk about it?"

She laughed softly. "No."

He nodded, and looked ahead at nothing. The comfortable silence that they'd always shared was still no problem. It was nice to be around her, Drakken decided. He wanted to touch her, and the thought shocked him a little.

"So, uh… about why I'm here…"

Shego looked over at him and stared. She missed him. The realization didn't help how she was feeling, but she did. She didn't know how they could still have the same relationship they used to have if she wasn't evil anymore, but if there was a way, Shego wanted to know what it was.

"I know you don't want to come back with me, Shego. I know you don't want to hear what I have to say when it concerns your change of lifestyle. But you need to hear it, and I'm not going to try to bully you into believing me."

"Dr. Drakken-."

"Please call me Dr. D."

They stared at each other then. And Shego couldn't help but see a little tenderness in his eyes that made her chest constrict. And as she stared, and stared hard and long, she discovered that his eyes weren't black, like everyone had always thought.

They were blue. A very, very dark blue.

Shego swallowed and caught her eyes wondering down to his lips for a millisecond before she snapped them back up to his eyes. He had such exotic eyes, and Shego found that her face seemed to be inching a little closer to his.

And neither of them did anything to stop it.

Drakken couldn't seem to think. He couldn't stop himself, and he couldn't find the words to tell her to stop either. He wanted her to kiss him, like she seemed so close to doing. He wanted to touch her hands, her hair, her face. Anything. Just to know that this was all happening for real, and not some horrible illusion that would just put him in a bad mood afterwards.

"Dr. Drakken," she murmured, and that bad mood simmered inside when she started to pull away. "We can't be how we used to be. I'll do anything to make you understand that."

Drakken stared for just a little while longer before sighing. "And I'd do anything to make you understand that you're not who you think you are."

They sat together for a little bit longer, each steadily accepting the fact that maybe this wasn't going to work. They would never accept the other's choices; Shego refusal that she was truly evil, and Drakken's denial that she'd stay how she was.

After a while, she walked him to the door. She looked at him while he stood just outside the doorway, and swallowed again.

"You know," she said, and suddenly realized how much taller he was when standing so close. "I do appreciate our time together. It just can't be that way anymore."

His eyes narrowed. When he cupped her face in his hands, his fingers were cold and firm through his gloves. "If you appreciated it so much you'd want it back," he murmured, turning her face fully into the light. "You'll want it back someday."

She said nothing, not because her mind was empty, but because it was filled with so many things, so many thoughts, so many wishes. She hadn't thought she could feel anything like this again, and certainly not this longing for a man. Her skin warmed with it, even though his touch was cool, almost disinterested.

The sexual tug surprised her, even embarrassed her a little. But it was the emotional pull, the slow, hard drag of it that kept her silent.

As if on their own violation, his fingers stroked her cheek. They were long, slender, creative, but hard and strong. Even so, he might merely have been familiarizing himself with the shape of her face, with the texture of her skin.

The longing leaped inside her, impossible longing to be loved, held, desired, not for Steve Barkin, not for the image a man could see, but for the woman deep inside and lost.

"I'm getting sleepy," she said, managing to keep her voice steady and guilt free. "I think I'll go to bed now."

He didn't move away immediately. And his hand lingered. He could see her old self emerging though. It was what kept him there, staring at her, searching the eyes he found so fascinating. Then he stepped back quickly, and started shoving the door closed for her.

"Good night."

He stayed out in the cold, wondering what was wrong with him. For a moment, for a great deal longer than a moment, he'd found himself wanting her.

Filled with some more shock, he rubbed his hair back with a sigh. A man had to be stinking low to think about such things with a woman who was discovering herself again.

But it was a long time before he could convince himself he'd imagined it.

——————————————————————————————

The next evening, Shego sat by Steve on his couch, not paying attention to whatever movie he'd popped in after dinner. His arm was thrown carelessly over her shoulders, but she looked the other way, her thoughts focusing - much to her guilt - on another man.

Why did he have to make her feel this way? She was on a date right now, with a man she should be thinking about instead, and her former boss just kept invading her mind.

This wasn't fair to her, and it definitely wasn't fair to Steve. He was a much better choice for her. She didn't have to feel afraid all the time with him. He was just a normal guy living a normal lifestyle.

Drakken had been a big part of her life, but the old life. And now Steve was her future. She was safe with him. He wouldn't pick fights with her for no reason, or rant for a full hour nonstop. He listened to what she had to say, and accepted it. Drakken was wrong. She needed to stop his wishful thinking, anyway she could. She needed to prove to him that she was staying right where she was.

"Shani?"

Shego snapped her head to him, and saw him looking ahead. The TV was off, and he was rubbing his lips together, something he always did while in deep thought. "Hmm?"

"I…" he started, and put one hand in his pocket. The other was gently caressing her shoulder. "I want to ask you something."

"Yes, it's okay if you leave the seat up. I don't mind. Doesn't take a lot of energy to just put it back down again."

Steve blinked. "Uh, no. That's not it." He took a big breath, and turned a little to face her fully. "I've been wanting to ask you for a few days now. And I know you'll need time to think it over." He pulled something out of his pocket.

Shego's eyes went as wide as dinner plates. "Stevie?"

He showed her a little black box, and opened it. Inside was a small diamond, but beautiful with it's heart-shaped cut. "Stevie!"

"Shani Go…" He cleared his throat nervously, and looked up into her face. "I wanted to ask you if you'd do me the honor of marrying me."

Shego stared at the ring, and flexed her hands once they began to hurt again. You can do it, she told herself. This is the chance you've wanted. This will convince them all.

"Yes," she answered, and gave him the smile he loved. "Yes, I will, Stevie."

The ring seemed to burn around her finger once he slide it there, and she tried not to notice.

**TBC**


	17. Suffer

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 17**

**Suffer **

**T**he cold seemed to bite into her skin as she walked along. Kim wondered why she didn't just go for a nice, relaxing drive instead, where the heat would blast as hot as it could get. But figuring that the air would clear her head so she could think of a plan seemed like the better option.

She always assumed that the day she went to her arch foe for help would be a day full of smug smiles, cocky giggles, and knowing looks. And all those reasons were precisely why that day had never happened in the past.

And when she finally needed Dr. Drakken's help, finally gathered up her pride and said the words to him, he refused her. Not one smug smile, cocky giggle, or knowing look came her way.

She knew it was extremely possible that he would refuse her if that time ever came. Let's face it, they were total enemies. She even expected him to laugh in her face and simply walk away. But because she was asking him to help her change Shego back, something he was already trying to do himself, he said no. And that surprised her immensely.

But he did turn her away, and Kim needed to figure out a plan all by herself. Maybe she should ask Drakken again, in person, and explain things more directly face to face. She could try it if nothing else came to her mind. Wade was still trying to help. He was studying the brain more closely for hours throughout the day. But he was coming up short, and Kim knew Drakken was the only one who could truly help her. Him and Shego had a connection. She could see that now when looking back, and it had been very wrong to keep them apart.

When she found herself at the mall, she decided that a little circle around couldn't hurt anything except maybe her bank account. Plus, it was warm inside. That thought alone held enough appeal to have her walking through the glass doors.

As Kim began her circle she started thinking some more about Drakken and Shego. She knew the green lady had received a lot more offers from other villains, preferably Dementor, and by snooping around in the villain world, she knew that some of those offers came with a lot more money and benefits than what Drakken had given her. She always thought Shego stayed with Drakken because no one else would put up with her attitude, but by thinking and reminiscing more on their past, Kim was starting to believe it was more than that.

As she passed JCPenny, the one memory that stuck out the most was that one Chistmas her and her family, Ron and Rufus, and Drakken and Shego had spent together. And Drakken, being in the full Christmas spirit at the time, told everyone how nice he was to Shego by paying for her whole holiday vacation, and that everyone should give gifts as extravagant as that to those who were special enough to them like how his sidekick was to him.

Kim didn't think anything of it at the time, but now it seemed to be all she could think about.

What a fool she'd been. She decided that splitting up Drakken and Shego was just as unheard of as someone splitting her and Ron apart.

Oh wait, Kim thought. She was the one to do that.

She missed Ron so much. She knew now that her relationship with him was even more important that her false friendship with Shego. She wanted him back more than anything, and to frown so much when thinking about him instead of smiling like she used to do was heartbreaking.

She heard a familiar squeaky voice a few feet ahead of her, and looked up with slight shock to see the very boy she'd been thinking of and missing so terribly. Rufus looked at her and blinked, and slowly slid back down inside Ron's pants pocket.

They stared at each other, each feeling, as Ron would call it, 'awkweird'.

Her chest caved in slightly, and she knew she had to say something.

"Hi, Ron," she mumbled softly, and tried not to run to him and pull his body against her.

"Hey, Kim." She looked so much better, he observed, and was thankful. Just seeing her now made a spring of joy leap inside him. But remembering why exactly they parted ways caused the joy to sink back, and made him look around. "Where's Shego?"

Fireworks went off in her head, and she was once again standing in bad weather in front of Bueno Nacho as Ron broke things between them because her neglect. "She's… not with me." Kim pursed her lips, and told herself repeatedly that they weren't together anymore. She wanted to stay and tell him everything, but she didn't deserve to be his girlfriend for what she did to him. "Um… Nice seeing you again." She waved at him pathetically, and turned around to walk off.

"KP," he said, and trotted up to her. Her breath sucked itself back into her lungs. He was so close. It felt nice. "You look… good."

"Really?" She knew the circles under her eyes were gone, as was the stuffy nose, cough, and red cheeks. There were just a few grey hairs left, but Kim figured they'd be gone as well within a day or so. They just seemed to fall out now.

"Yeah," he answered, and smiled at her. "So what have you been up to?"

"Oh…" She smiled too because she couldn't seem to help it. "Nothing much. Just getting the house ready for Christmas. Just three days away."

"Maybe you could try not to blind me this year." He tried to make it sound like a joke, but because she didn't laugh or give him one of her usual silly smirks, he continued. "Have you and Shego done anything fun lately?"

Kim slumped slightly when she saw the small frown appear at his lips. She hated when he frowned. She wished she could make it go away. And she realized then that she could. "Shego and I aren't really friends anymore."

His eyes widened a little at the statement. "What? Why?"

Kim shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. She still felt a little pain that her and Shego would never be like they used to, but the pain without Ron was ten times worse than that. She needed him. "Just trying to get her back to her old self. It's not right, how she is now."

Ron took her shoulder softly and made her stop. He turned her so she was looking at him, and Kim almost wept when she saw the hope in his eyes. He needed her too. "Is that true?"

They stared at each other for a while, not knowing how long, but understanding that they needed it. That silent moment where they could be together again. "Ron…" Kim began, and almost leaned into the hand on her shoulder that stayed. "I'm sorry. I was so… It was wrong of me. But… But I want you to know that you have always been my number one. You're my… person. My partner. And I can't tell you how sorry I am for excluding you for so long." She could feel the backs of her eyes stinging, and willed herself not to cry. "I love you, Ron," she whispered, and knew that was all she had in her at the moment.

Ron stared into her eyes, her lovely green eyes, and decided that there was no way he couldn't forgive her. She learned her lesson, and was trying to make it up to him and herself. Her next words shattered him completely, and it took all he had not to sink to her feet and hold on to her legs so she'd never go away again.

She continued whispering. "I just want to do the right thing… I still can't save the world without you, Ron." She held on tight when he finally pulled her into his arms, and breathed as much of him in as she could. "I can't do anything without you…"

He slipped his fingers into the red hair he loved so much, and they kissed long enough to lose track of time. When they finally moved apart, he said, "I love you too, Kim. I always have. And I forgive you."

She thought of everything she needed to tell him. About Shego's outburst, about Drakken, and about her asking him for his help. She smiled at him, and nodded.

"I haven't been able to enjoy one naco since you've been gone."

Kim giggled, and held him close for just a little longer. "I haven't either."

He took her hand, and began pulling her toward the exit. "Well then I know the perfect place for our first makeup date."

Kim sighed contently and followed him, a satisfied smile on her face.

——————————————————————————————

It really was beautiful, she observed, and twirled the ring around her finger as she curled up in her bed. The heart shape of the diamond made it sweet and intimate, the shine made it impressive, the finger it was on made it romantic. The band was the loveliest of gold, and would no doubt catch the eyes of everyone it could, just as the jewel that sat atop it. The ring was expensive, the quality was flawless.

The reason for it made Shego just a tiny bit sick.

She shook her head quickly and swallowed. She couldn't be thinking those thoughts now. She was marrying her boyfriend, and would stay that way for the rest of her life. If the sight of her engagement ring made her a little sick, then she'd better get used to it, she scolded to herself. Because it wasn't leaving her finger.

She would finally be able to silence everyone, and finally live the life she wanted in peace. Drakken would understand, since this was a big step to take and he would know she meant business, and Kimmie would apologize for being so mean the day she exploded and want to be very best friends again.

Shego frowned a little while thinking of her. She missed Kim, but they hadn't spoken, not really, ever since Bonnie got what she deserved. Not only did her blow out terminate her job, but it seemed it did the same to her friendship with Kim. Shego wanted to be Kim's friend, but if doing so only meant long enough until the teen hero found some way to change her back, then she'd just deal with the pain while it lasted, and hopefully she'd finally get over Kimmie, and start a new life with Steve as her husband without her. She wanted people to leave her alone about her evil past. And this engagement would do that.

Shego had to swallow again when the slight nausea reared once more, and she quickly pictured a lovely home with her waiting husband, and possibly a kid or two.

_Pfft_, a strange but familiar voice in her head scoffed. _Yeah, kids? So not my thing. I think I'd rather jump into a pit of boiling snot. _

Shego lifted one eyebrow and wondered if all this clutter and confusion that had been going on for a while was making her insane. Strange voices in the mind wasn't good when it came to sanity, but the more Shego told herself it was a voice, the more she knew it was more thought than some random voice.

And that alone scared her more than anything.

——————————————————————————————

With a scowl on his face, a yearning in his heart, and a picture he couldn't seem to stop looking at for 10 minutes now clutched tightly in his hand, Drakken decided that being in love was the worst feeling ever experienced.

He hated everything about it. This wasn't how it was supposed to feel. He'd seem movies and TV shows. He'd read books - since Shego loved to read and it seemed that all the books they owned that weren't magazines were romance novels, and he'd been bored enough during his villain career with her. Being in love was supposed to feel good. Isn't that what the world wanted you to believe?

But the only side effect Drakken felt during this whole thing was grief. Being in love sucked. It made everything hurt worse and ache longer. He couldn't even look at a stupid picture of him and Shego and not feel like screaming and dying.

He wished he could invent some ray that would suck all the love he had for his green ex-sidekick, and bury it as far as he could underground, and then grow a bunch of the ugliest weeds ever discovered on top, so no one could find it. But because being in love made him feel so crappy, he just didn't have the energy to fool around with such an idea.

Maybe that was the way to conquer the world, Drakken mused as he looked at the picture of Shego making a funny face at the camera from the photo booth, and him staring at her like she was crazy. Just zap everyone into being in love with the one person they can never have. That'll torment them enough for you to strike swiftly and merciless.

But as much as he hated feeling what he should never have come to feel for a woman who was practically unlovable, Drakken couldn't give up. He'd once told her she was family, that if she needed him, he'd be there. And the Shego inside her, his sidekick, needed him. She was craving to break through the barriers of her warped mind. He could see it every time he was with her at certain moments. He could practically see his Shego clawing her way with her freaky glowing hands at all those goody thoughts that had corrupted her, screaming, wanting, wishing to return to normal. And Drakken was trying his hardest to help.

He knew Shego would never return the feelings he had, and he accepted it. But he would not, could not, accept her being trapped in some pink-wearing, giggly-eyed school teacher when she was supposed to be a mean, lazy villainess.

As Drakken brooded some more, staring at the only pictures he had of the two of them together, he didn't hear the two pairs of feet that snuck up behind him.

Drakken jumped and wailed when a small hand tapped him on the shoulder, and crawled up onto the giant computer desk he was sitting at, ready to scurry.

Team Possible stood behind him; her with an annoyed expression, and him with a silly grin. Drakken clutched his chest to make sure his heart was still beating.

"Kim Possible and friend!" he yelled, and quickly stashed the pictures in his lab coat, never taking his glare off them as he did so.

"Ugh! Ron! R-O-N!"

"R-O-N! R-O-N!" Rufus squealed, and shook his tiny fist at the blue man.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Kim angrily, who didn't seem to care about breaking and entering when it concerned him. "And I wonder if your precious police force knows about you breaking the law, _little girl_."

"Whatever, Drakken," Kim scoffed, and patted Ron's shoulder to calm him down. Her poor boyfriend really took Drakken never remembering his name to heart. It was almost disturbing. "I'm here for the same reason why I called the other day."

"I told you I don't need you! I don't want your help."

"Listen to me. Do you really think I want this? I hate it just as much as you. You are literally the very last person I'd go to for help. But guess what. You _are_ the last. So unless you want Shego to stay the way she is, you'd accept our offer, and shut that big mouth of yours so we can plan our next move together."

"Nnnrrhh!" Drakken clutched his head, and almost stomped his feet. "You are so annoying!"

"We only have to work long enough until Shego's wearing the green and black, and prancing around thinking she's better than everyone." Kim continued. "And when that time comes, you can go back to Cell Block D for all those heists you and that Hawaiian pulled a while ago."

"What makes you think for one second that I'd work with you?" Drakken's eyes widened and had him thinking Kim was going to throw him through a window when she grabbed his shoulders, and shook him.

"Because we're all you've got! And we can get Shego back together."

Drakken took a deep breath as he stared at her, and Kim could see all the torment he'd been going through. He needed them, but his stubborn ways refused him to want it. After a few seconds, he shrugged her off, and turned his back to her. Silence fell between them. Kim heard the distant sound of his computers beeping and buzzing with life.

"Fine," he finally said, and she saw him cringe. "This truce is temporary. Just until Shego's back here with me."

His voice was controlled, but it seemed to be coming from far away. He turned and looked at her as if he wanted to make certain she understood. Kim nodded, and both of them refused to shake hands.

"I couldn't agree more," Kim answered.

And the two teens left, leaving Drakken to brood some more in the dark, with only a line of photo's to keep him from screaming.

——————————————————————————————

Shego smiled as she fluffed her hair in the mirror when hearing her doorbell. The must be Stevie, she told herself, and clicked in her heels to the door from her bathroom. The two of them were going to dinner, a nice little Italian restaurant they happened to spot while taking a late night drive. It was expensive and exquisite, and exactly what they wanted for the celebration of their engagement.

Shego wore her newest gown, a wine velvet sheath with tight-fitting sleeves, and a sophisticated slit in the back that went almost all the way up to the curve of her bottom. Shego knew it was cold and she would no doubt feel the chilly sting through that slit, but the way she looked and felt in it was worth it. She let her hair hang down for the evening, tossing in a few hot rollers here and there to give it more bounce, and added small garnet studs that winked through the tendrils fanning her ears. Her diamond sparkled on her ring finger, but Shego had to keep her thoughts away so the nausea did the same.

Shego opened the door with a bright smile. But upon seeing her visitor, it instantly melted away.

Steve Barkin was not the one standing in her doorway. Instead was someone she barely remembered, and finally did when realizing he was from her evil past. Her eyes widened, and she could only stare at the now sad excuse for a man standing in front of her.

"Hello, Shego."

Señior Senior Junior looked back at her, not as the man he used to be when she'd been familiar with him during the tutoring, but as something else entirely.

The slackness of his face was so subtle that someone who didn't know him well might not have noticed. There was an extra fold of skin behind his eyes, a looseness in his cheeks, the slightest dip at the corner of his mouth. Another person with the same malady might have given it little thought, but for a proud man obsessed with perfection, even so slight an imperfection was intolerable. No longer did he look like the pop teen sensation he so craved to becoming. He looked disturbed, he looked insecure.

Shego knew right then that he'd gone insane.

Even as she felt the slightest prick of fear, she saw that his narrow Hispanic eyes missed nothing. They slid over her, taking in her face and hair, sweeping along her dress, and finally coming to rest on the ring around her finger.

"You should have been mine," he said.

**TBC**


	18. Mine

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 18**

**Mine**

**S**he didn't know what to say or to do at first. Hearing him speak those words, and watching him have a sort of inner struggle sent a small shiver down Shego's spine. This was not the boy she tutored in villainy who never seemed to pay attention. This was not the boy who broke her out of prison just so she could help him acquire a birthday gift for his father.

But it_ was_ Junior, and something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

"I… I'm sorry, Junior," she began once she found her voice again. She couldn't seem to stop staring at him, and feel pity for the disturbed wreck he'd become. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" he snapped instantly. "Is something _wrong_, she asks!" He shoved through the door, pushing her back and closed it behind him. Shego was about to tell him how rude he was acting, but decided to keep her mouth closed for once when he slowly locked the door, keeping his red, droopy eyes on hers. "Something _is_ wrong. You," he pointed at her. "_You_ are wrong!"

Shego cringed at his finger pointing her way, and held her hands up in surrender. She suddenly felt stupid for doing such a thing, but couldn't take it back now. "What have I done wrong?"

"Everything!" His fist flew to the wall and cracked it, and he giggled when seeing the damage he caused. "Don't you see, Shego? You are supposed to be mine. That's the way it was meant to be. Mine…" He reached for her, and shrieked when she stepped back. "No! Do… Do you have any idea what I've been through to find you? You… You are so beautiful when you sleep…"

Shego visibly flinched and felt just a little sick. It was a different kind of sick, not like the sick she felt when looking at her engagement ring. Or the time when she ate bad shrimp.

She felt violated. And that made this sickness the worst of all.

"I-I had to keep my eyes on you, Shego. Don't you understand? There are bad people… Very bad people…" He laughed nervously, and started walking a little bit closer to her. "And then I couldn't find you, and that scared me. Those bad people could've attacked you at any moment!"

Shego swallowed softly and tried to take the smallest steps back so he wouldn't do something worse than the last shriek he made before. She had a horrible urge to yell at him and forcibly remove him from her happy home, but something stronger overpowered the urge, and she continued to hold his longing gaze. "What bad people? I'm not bad anymore, Junior. I can help you."

"Bad people…" He looked down then, and Shego saw his eyes glaze with fresh tears. "My father…"

She didn't like this. She wanted him to leave. She knew he'd done something horribly wrong. She wondered if she could make a dash for the phone or the exit. "What about your father, Junior?"

Through his tears, he glared at the floor, and snapped his face back to hers. "He just didn't understand. I told him to stop being mean. I told him you belonged to me, and we would disappear from this evil life." His fists clenched tightly enough to turn his knuckles white, and they shook. "He told me I would do no such thing… He was a bad man."

Shego risked a glance behind her. The couch was right there. She couldn't go anywhere unless she hopped over it. "Was?"

"He kept yelling…" His expression seemed distant, like he was trapped in the memory. Shego already knew what he was about to reveal. But she had to keep him talking. Just long enough to find a solution and be done with him. He continued, his voice shallow and regretful. "I can still feel his neck in my hands…" He lifted his hands, showing them to her like they were something marvelous. "And after a while… it had no pulse."

Shego bit her bottom lip and stared at him. "You killed your father."

She cursed herself for her bad choice of words.

"No!" he yelled, and fisted his hands in his hair. "He was killing _me_! It was killing me not to see you… To have him forbid me from watching you…"

He suddenly shot forward and pushed her down on the couch, holding her shoulders tightly to keep her sitting there. Shego hands fisted, but she tried to remain calm.

"You are mine…" he whispered to her, and dropped his gaze from her eyes onto her diamond. "You will be mine…"

His touch felt like bugs crawling along her skin, and Shego tried not to shrug his hands off in fear that he'd do something worse. She had to keep him talking, she told herself. Keep him talking, and use his name a lot. It always calmed them. "You said you've been watching me, Junior."

He pushed her back against the couch until her body was pressing into the back, and his hands continuously tightening on her shoulders. "I watch you all the time… I know what has happened to you, Shego." One of his hands lifted to touch one tendril of her hair. He used only one finger, as if she were something fragile. "I know what your life has become. We both want to be good now. And together we will do something good for the world."

His face seemed to inch closer to hers as the seconds went by. Shego wanted to push him away, but as she stared into his eyes, she realized that she was becoming a little more scared with each desperate look he sent her way. She then became annoyed with herself for fearing this young, pathetic boy, but it was fear all the same. "What are we going to do, Junior?"

He grabbed her neck with force and speed, and Shego gasped softly as the air was slowly vanishing from her throat. "Hey…" she choked, and grasped at his hands.

"We have done bad things. Very bad things…" He shook her body, and frowned, more tears lining his eyes. "We don't deserve redemption."

Shego's eyes widened as she continued to stare at him, ignoring the fear as much as she could, and for once, welcoming the warming of her hands.

Her energy was fading, and she couldn't find the strength to do what she felt was right. She couldn't muster enough power to see her glow. Black spots danced in front of her eyes, and her gaze suddenly flew to his raising fist.

"The world will be a better place without us… I just know it."

Junior's fist slammed into Shego's face, knocking her unconscious and limp in his arms. He gently picked her up, rubbing her hair back and cooing to her like a child.

"Sssh, trust me, my love. I'll make everything better…" He carried her to the door, and managed to open it even with a woman in his arms who was only dead weight. "We will be happy together… We can be with Father soon…"

And Junior left with Shego in his strong arms, a patch of black and blue already gleaming on her cheek.

——————————————————————————————

"No, no, KP. I told you about the option button before, right? Hit that, and jump." Ron sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Kim, why are you punching that rock? There are 4 robots around you, and yet you continue to punch the rock."

"I'm punching it because it's shaking, so there's obviously something in it."

Kim was trying, she really was. And as the levels flew by, she decided that playing Ron's new space video game with him wasn't as boring and pointless as she thought it would be. And even though she knew he was trying his hardest to teach her, she also knew he was enjoying her actually doing something he loved with him. He forgave her for her exclusion, and she knew that. But since they got back together, Kim was doing what he wanted and what he thought was fun, just so she could keep him happy.

And seeing him as just that was keeping her happy as well.

"Kim… Here. See this?" He pointed to his own controller. "Press this. That's it, now follow me."

"Why don't we have any weapons or something? If we're fighting robots then we should at least have some… laser thingy."

"We don't need lasers, Kim. We have our fists."

Kim obediently made her character follow Ron's, continuously flipping in the air the whole way. After a few minutes of marching through bogs and over hills, they finally arrived somewhere that was apparently good for them to be, because Ron gave little excited giggles as he entered some forgotten ship. As Kim still flipped, she reached over inside the chip bag he'd brought up from his kitchen. Once she popped it into her mouth, the little chirp of her Kimmunicator beeped to life. Ron pressed pause and reached for the chips as well.

"Hey, Wade," Kim said happily, which made Ron smile since it was a nice change from bored and restless Kim when they usually played his games.

"Hey, Kim. Um, Mister Barkin just called me. He couldn't get you at home, and he says it's important."

Kim wiped her mouth with a napkin, handing Ron one as well. "What did he say?"

"It sounds bad, Kim," Wade answered, and frowned while looking at his computer screen. "He sounds desperate."

Ron groaned. "Please don't tell me he drove into a ditch again. I'm sick of having to rescue that ugly green van. Or, you know… Maybe I did something wrong at school." Ron concentrated hard, trying to think of what he could have possibly done to get in trouble.

"No," Wade said, and looked at Kim. "He says you need to meet him at Shego's place as soon as you can."

Kim drew her eyebrows together in confusion, and frowned. Something bad had happened. Barkin would never call her unless he absolutely had to. She was already standing up, and heading for the door.

Hearing the shuffling of a chip bag behind her, she stopped instantly, and turned back to her boyfriend. "Um… Ron?"

"Don't worry, KP," he said, and smiled at her. "Let's go see what's up with Shego."

Kim felt her chest ache with love, and smiled sweetly at him. She didn't know if it was the fact that she'd stopped before she left for Shego's, or if he just really wanted to be with her again. But by his genuine smile, he knew that she really did want to keep things okay with them, and would always include him in whatever she did. It made her sad to think that before she had her little epiphany, Kim probably would have just left without consulting him at all, and most likely end up leaving him behind. But Kim knew better now. And so did Ron.

They left together, and Wade's earlier words as they exited Ron's home echoed in their ears, filling them each with worry and confusion.

"He says Shego's missing."

——————————————————————————————

Drakken screamed and jumped back, away from the blast of sparks that erupted in front of him. Once they sizzled on the floor and seemed to disappear, he stepped back up to his work bench to continue.

He didn't exactly know what was becoming of this odd invention he found himself… inventing, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he somehow convinced himself to start it. He knew it would only cause him more pain, but it was just something he had to do. If not, he knew he'd regret it. And regretting something like this was simply out of the question.

It had to be completed soon. He'd spent all night and all day today working on it, and with tomorrow being Christmas Eve, he really wanted to have it finished by then. He'd already completed the major steps to his work, and only had about one more before it was finished, and ready to be delivered personally.

Earlier, he had a big debate on whether or not he should deliver it himself. Delivering it by mail or simply dropping it off would be better for _him_, but the whole point of doing this wasn't for him, and he figured he could live with the little pang he felt in his chest every time he saw her. Delivering it himself would be painful, but he knew she'd like it better if he was actually there to see her face. And that was all that mattered. Her happiness.

He cringed at how cheesy that little thought was, but… it was the truth.

He really hoped she liked it.

After a few minutes of tampering and flickering he lifted his head away from his work to concentrate. And at the sound of tapping feet, muffled voices, and a very familiar squeak, Drakken groaned and quickly draped a big blanket over his invention, ready to 'greet' his visitors.

The visitors that seemed to think it was perfectly fine to just waltz right on in.

"Do you think he'll notice?" Drakken heard the buffoon mumble from the echo of the lair, and knew right then that the 'he' the boy was speaking of was himself.

"Probably, Ron," Kim Possible mumbled back, with just a hint of sarcasm that her boyfriend didn't seem to notice. "There's water coming out from underneath the door."

"Man… Someone should write some kind of label that says bean dip does not go well with salt and vinegar chips."

When they finally came trotting through the doorway to his lab, Drakken was about to yell at them, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Great, he thought. Another toilet to repair because of the buffoon's disgusting eating habits. Drakken opened his mouth to scold, but closed it upon seeing their faces.

Something was wrong.

"Drakken," Kim said, and ran up to him. She knew he wasn't all too happy about them once again breaking in, and she knew he'd be even unhappier about Ron's little bathroom break. But some things were more important.

"Apparently you think that just because we have some crazy truce going on at the moment you're allowed to stop by whenever the need strikes you." He folded his arms and frowned at them, knowing they probably didn't have good news, but couldn't resist reprimanding them. "Oh darn. I seemed to have forgotten to set out some chips and salsa for my much appreciated guests."

"No!" Ron clutched his rumbling stomach. "No chips!"

Drakken sneered, and looked to Kim. "Something wrong? Let me guess. Shego has decided to adopt an underprivileged foreign baby. Or maybe she's clothing the homeless. Is it something with fish? She seems to be very concerned about the fish."

"Drakken," Kim continued. "I have absolutely no idea what you're saying but yes, something is wrong."

Drakken watched her pull out her little blue chatting devise that always seemed to be a problem for him and press a few buttons. He looked behind him at the unfinished object that needed to be completed by tomorrow, and grew impatient. "Is this going to take long?"

"Drakken… Shego has been taken."

Time seemed to stand still after those four little words. Drakken's eyes widened, his arms still crossed impatiently as he stared at Kim. Shego, taken? He shook his head, just to see if he misheard her. But her look of concern and worry for her former friend was still there, and she lifted her Kimmunicator to show him the screen.

It was a security recording, one that her computer kid no doubt had acquired, and it looked out at Shego's apartment doorway from outside. Drakken watched as a man approached, the time at the bottom of the screen telling him this happened last night. As he looked, Drakken felt he knew this man, and sucked in all the air he could into his lungs when discovering that is was Señior Senior Junior. Something had happened to him, something that made him look like he'd had some sort of stroke, and Drakken knew by the longing and intense gaze Junior held in front of him that he was definitely not right in the head anymore.

Drakken made a small sound in his throat as he watched Junior forcibly enter Shego's home. He knew she'd opened the door, but all throughout that first half he couldn't see her. Kim pressed another button, and made the video clip fast forward, just until Drakken saw Junior exit the apartment.

His eyes twitched with anger at the sight of Junior carrying Shego's limp body away from her home, repeatedly kissing the top of her head until the camera no longer held sight of him.

Drakken swallowed hard as Kim came to stand next to him, pressing more buttons. She rewound the clip back to Junior holding Shego and paused it. More buttons were pressed, and Drakken watched the screen as Kim zoomed in on Shego's seemingly sleeping face enough to reveal the ugly bruise under her eye.

Kim cleared her throat a little. She knew on her way here that Drakken would be angry and would no doubt help them rescue his former sidekick, but the hatred glowing on her arch foe's face for the man who took Shego away scared her. She had never seen Drakken this way before. His expression was even more intense and angry than the day he found out what had become of Shego in the mall that night that seemed so long ago.

"Um… Wade did a search and located Junior at his island home. The whole place is powered. Shego is obviously there with him."

Drakken batted the Kimmunicator away, afraid that he'd lash out if he glanced at that frozen clip of Shego's swollen cheek for one more second. He wanted to save his lashing for Junior. But knew, even though if pained his ego, he needed to follow Kim Possible's plan to save her. Her plan would be better and more safe for Shego than anything he could come up with at the moment, and he would put away what was left of his pride to save her.

"When do we leave?" he asked Kim.

"If we leave now we can be there by late tomorrow afternoon."

"Then let's go."

Kim grabbed Drakken's arm as he headed for the exit. "Wade hasn't set up a ride for us yet."

Drakken pulled his arm back, and continued on his way. "You can wait for your ride. I'm taking the hover car."

Kim and Ron looked at each other, and mirrored a questioning look.

A few minutes later, they were all bundled in Drakken's hover car on their way to the Senior's private island.

——————————————————————————————

Shego moaned, and kept her eyes shut, tightening them. She instantly regretted the act when the pain shot from her cheek to her head, and then seemed to inch it's way down to her jaw. She lifted her hand to touch her cheek, just to make sure everything was still there, and discovered that she couldn't move her hands.

Shego snapped her eyes open, one eye a little swollen, and looked around.

She was in the main chamber in the Seniors island lair, the very place she had tutored the man who had kidnapped her. It was the same as it had always been. Still very cold and grey, and as always, it reminded her of the inside of a space ship from one of those sci-fi shows Dr. Drakken used to watch when she was evil. She knew this place was rigged everywhere with evil traps and devises, and decided to be even more careful about what she would say to Junior.

Remembering she couldn't move her hands, Shego looked at them, and discovered they were chained in handcuffs, wrapped around the bar attached to the bed she was laying on. She was laying on her side, the hem of her skirt hiked up to her thighs. The bed looked like it'd been stolen from a hospital, and Shego was grateful that she was here, in the main chamber on a hospital bed instead of someplace horrible like Junior's own bed, and handcuffed differently.

Shego sighed in pain as the throbbing in her cheek continued.

Where was Junior? she asked herself, and looked around to see if she could spot him. She remembered his words from earlier.

_The world will be a better place without us._

Shego's eyes widened. That didn't sound good at all. She had to get out of here.

Knowing it was hopeless, she still tried to pull on her handcuffs, but stopped instantly at the _swoosh_ sound of two doors opening, and Junior himself walking through them.

"Oh, Shego, you are awake." He rushed over to her, and it took everything she had in her to not flinch away when he began petting her hair. He shook his head at her. "Look what you made me do, Shego. Father will be expecting a beautiful face. Not this bruised one. I already told him we'd be joining him soon. You must look your best." He pulled a brush from his pants pocket, and began brushing her mussed hair.

"What do you mean, Junior? You… Your father's…" Shego swallowed, and still couldn't come to terms that he'd killed his own father. They always seemed so close to her. "Gone."

Junior slammed the brush to the floor. "I _told_ you already. We're going to help the world. This is the best way."

Shego licked her dry lips and tried not to seem too scared. She already knew he wouldn't like that. "Help the world?"

Junior nodded and turned his back to her, only to stare at the wall. "The best way to help the world will be to remove us from it. We're bad people…"

Shego's eyes widened at the realization on what he planned to do. He planned to kill her, and then himself. He thought he was doing the world a favor. This was all happening because of who she used to be. She was going to die for the crimes she committed in the past. Her very evil past.

Nothing good had ever come out of being evil, Shego told herself, as silly as that sounded. She wished she'd stayed with her brothers. If she had she wouldn't be here right now, about to die at the hand of a lunatic.

She tried to push back the thoughts of simply breaking the bar with enraged strength, tearing apart her handcuffs, and pummeling Junior until he looked as bad as she did. She didn't want to do that. She wished her hands would stay cold like the rest of her body. She didn't want to become again what had got her here in the first place. It may save her life, but what other problems would she have in the future because of it?

"It won't be so bad," Junior said, breaking her thoughts and bringing her gaze from her hands back to him. "I've set out every evil trap we've ever owned. The lasers, the spikes, the alligators. Even those pesky spinning tops of doom." He pressed a few buttons on a little control pad he pulled from his other pocket, and Shego heard machine's all throughout the huge room start humming to life. "I'm simply going to turn them all on. And we'll see what gets who. But in the end… it should have the same result."

Great, Shego thought, and decided that the sarcastic thoughts that seemed to sneak up on her a lot more than usual lately were okay this one time, since she was about to die and all. The traps and machines she relied on in her evil past were the very things that were going to kill her. Ironic.

Shego jumped as Junior started to shriek again, pounding his fists repeatedly into the wall he was staring at just a few seconds ago.

"Why don't you speak to me!?" he demanded, and rushed up to her, sinking down to his knee's. "I'm doing so much for you. Say something!"

Shego remained quiet, and - much to her disappointment in herself - delighted in the fact that her silence pained him. She was through trying to be nice to him. She didn't care what he would do as a consequence. She was going to die either way.

Junior started sobbing, and slammed his forehead into the floor. Shego cringed away when he stood, only because she knew that wasn't what he wanted, and saw him beginning to shake.

"I… I need to speak with Father again."

Shego watched him leave the room and sighed, looking out at one of the many giant widows lining one side of the chamber. She thought of Kimmie, and wondered, if by any chance, she'd find out about her kidnapping and come to save her. She wondered if Stevie would come with her, and if he would be as worried about her as Kimmie. She wanted to tell Kim that she'd been a good friend, even though it hadn't lasted, and that she hoped her and Ron did well together.

She thought of her brothers, and knew that they'd be just as fine without her in their lives as they'd been when she was evil. Of course they'd be upset, but like any death in the family, you had to move on. She wanted to tell them how much she loved them if she happened to make it out alive.

And the very last person she thought about, the one who seemed to stick in her mind a lot longer than any other the others, was Dr. Drakken. He'd been such a good friend to her, in his own evil way, and she never really told him how much she appreciated that. She secretly did when she'd worked for him, even though the thought had disgusted her at the time. And even though she knew how hard it was for him to see her as she was now, he was still there. He brought back her Halloween decorations when she'd dropped them at the mall, he sent all her things back from the lair even though they caused him pain, he came to her after she called him in the middle of the night, just wanting some company after a silly nightmare, and comforted her from it.

He bought her a Christmas tree.

It puzzled Shego to know that the very last person she wanted to think about was Drakken and not the man she was supposed to marry. If it had been any other time, it would have worried her. Right now she didn't care.

And as the time went by, she didn't think about when Junior would decide to carry out his little plan, the plan that would end everything. She thought about Drakken, in his blue lab coat and laughing evilly at whatever was going on in her memories of him. And she was standing right beside him, black and green covering her body from neck to toe.

They were nice memories to think about.

**TBC**


	19. His

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 19**

**His**

**B**efore Kim had even jumped into Drakken's hover car she thought the trip would be awkward. She didn't really like the idea of traveling such a long way with him, even though Ron and Rufus were with her, but as the hours flew by, she discovered that awkward was something it just wasn't.

She'd done this before, travel with him. But she thought there'd be a big difference compared to traveling with Drakken while he was good and attitudinated as they set off to turn Zorpox back into Ron. And there was. The whole way during the previous time, Drakken just wouldn't shut up about how sorry he was and that he'd promise to make it up to her for all the trouble he'd caused with a splendid dinner party.

And now, the only thing he did was stare at the space in front of him, sparing a glance every now and then at the Kimmunicator propped up on the dashboard next to him for directions, since he'd never been to the Senior's island before. His brow was furrowed in concentration, and something else Kim could only think was anger.

She was finding out more and more exactly how close Drakken and Shego actually were everyday. It made her feel a little more guilty that she'd kept them from each other.

She wanted to say something to Drakken, even though she knew it was probably best not to talk to him. He'd been the one who drove all through the night and today as well, and she just wanted to ask if maybe she should drive for a while. But his face, the one that said leave me alone and don't say a word, kept her from opening her mouth.

Ron had chimed in with some conversation during the trip, which made her smile. She hated when everything had to be absolutely silent, and to know that he was okay with what they were trying to do made her love him all the more. Drakken didn't seem to mind when they began talking about school, or the cheer squad and the football team, or other things that she knew very well Drakken didn't discuss with Shego. He remained silent, and Kim - shocking herself slightly with the realization - was becoming just a teensy bit worried.

Drakken knew from the glances she sneaked his way that she wanted to say something. He wondered that if any little peep from him would calm her a little, but Kim Possible's feelings didn't concern him in the slightest. He didn't need to know what exactly she wanted to say, he didn't care at all about what the buffoon was babbling about. He knew the two teen hero's were huddled together and ready to help him save Shego, and that was about all that seemed to matter to him when it concerned them.

Possible still had not told him about her plan, if she even had one. He thought that would bother him, but it didn't. If she didn't know what she was going to do to get Shego and the rest of them out safely, then he'd come up with his own plan. Kim and her little boyfriend were fully capable of saving themselves from whatever Junior had in store for them, so the only thing he would concentrate on would be getting Shego and himself out safely while Kim took care of the rest.

Ron sat quietly, his eyes locked on his own hand wrapped around Kim's, and their fingers interlaced together. She faced him more than she did Drakken, since she'd been put in the middle, and their thighs touched as they traveled.

He had no regrets going off with her to save Shego. He would never have refused, since it wasn't his nature to do otherwise, but he knew from her face that she was a little surprised that he was here. Even if Kim hadn't turned around while they were still at his house after the call from Wade came, he'd still be here. He knew she needed him. She said so herself. But because she did turn around and say his name, he couldn't believe how far she'd come. Gone was the Shego obsession, and her relationship with him was number one again.

And everyday she looked better. Ron wondered if her sickness and poor appearance before had anything to do with the fact that she knew she was doing something wrong by keeping Shego away from her true lifestyle and Drakken. He just thought it was weird that she seemed to look more beautiful as the days went by after she agreed that Shego was not the person she truly was, and fixed their relationship again.

He didn't know for certain, but he was pretty sure.

From the corner of his eye Drakken watched the two kids next to him. They sat there, huddled together and holding hands, perfectly okay with just touching each other and staying close. He wondered if the simple touch they shared calmed them before any big mission, or if it was just something they needed to do.

Then he thought of Shego, and wondered if she was okay. She had to be okay. He couldn't imagine the worst, even though it probably would spare him a little pain. It was what helped him through life, expecting the worst of a situation and of people. The worst he could deal with, the best seemed a little too strange for him.

But thinking of the worst possible thing that could happen to Shego wasn't going to calm or prepare him. It would simply enrage him more than he already was.

——————————————————————————————

After hours of sitting by herself in a huge room and lumpy hospital bed, Shego was starting to get annoyed. Ever since the incident with Bonnie at the school she became extremely worried whenever those feelings would creep up on her. Bursting at Bonnie and stomping away the way she did had felt good. Cleansing, in a way. But she still didn't want to feel them. She supposed it was her old stubbornness that made her feel that way, but she'd rather feel stubborn than annoyed. Feeling annoyed obviously lead to other feelings, more familiar feelings that she refused herself now.

But since it had been hours since she first woke up here, and no one had yet come to her rescue, Shego thought that feeling annoyed now was okay. She didn't know how to explain the way she felt when those feelings of release came, but if it made her feel just a little more calm than it was perfectly fine with her.

Ever since Junior had excused himself the night before, Shego still hadn't seen him. He said he was going to speak with his father, whatever that meant, since Junior himself had ended the old man's life. So Shego could only lay there, still in her wine colored dress with her mussed hair, hands handcuffed to the bar beside her.

There were faint bags under her eyes. She hadn't slept the whole night before, and they felt a little strained from the searching she did all around her to find some way to break free and escape. The first thing she would do was call Kim, and then try to find some means of an exit. But because there was nothing she could do to do exactly that, Shego could only wait until her captor returned, ready to power the traps and devices that would end them both.

Shego felt her lips form into a small snarl.

What the hell had she done to him? she thought, and realized that thinking ill of Junior now would be better than nothing. Plus it made her feel a little better. Every time she saw that man she only ever helped him out. She'd done the ridiculous and pointless with him, all for some stupid scheme she'd thought was either rewarding or sweet at the time. She couldn't believe how she acted when she was around him. And as Shego looked back, the anger swelled more when she realized that the way she treated him was just exactly how everyone else did too.

She'd smiled at him and gave him what he wanted. She followed his orders, and even praised him a little as well. She treated him just like the brat he was. A good for nothing spoiled brat who still lived with daddy because he couldn't make it out there by himself.

Drakken had made it by himself for years. Shego couldn't believe that her former boss had popped into her mind again. He didn't live with his mother longer than what was necessary. He got funds for his evil empire and thrived on it. It was always work, work, work with that man. Always trying to reach his goal, no matter what the cost. There was no lounging by the pool, or wasting time for a silly birthday present with Drakken. It was big picture worthy. No disco ball in sight.

If there was anyone who needed praise, it was him. And the only thing Shego ever did was mock and tease him. She vowed to herself then that if she somehow made it out of here, she'd tell him what he needed to hear when she was still the sidekick. She'd tell him he was a good boss to work for, someone who wanted things done, and done right. She'd tell him that if there was anyone who could accomplish what he was trying so hard to do, it was him.

Shego knew she had a reason to mock him before. When she'd been evil, the things she'd thought were simply unacceptable. And that alone may have increased the sarcastic comebacks that were sent his way.

It wasn't his fault. But when she'd been his sidekick, Shego had to blame someone. Drakken just happened to be the one who was standing the closest.

——————————————————————————————

"Got it, Kim," Wade said as he typed furiously, his fingers flying over the keyboard like they always did. Kim had just debriefed him on her plan, and he quickly jotted down the notes that he would need.

"I hope it works."

"Of course it will. Your plans always work, don't they?"

Kim sighed and nodded. She looked around, and discovered that the Senior's island hadn't changed at all since her last visit. Everything around them was dark, and the only sound surrounding them was the water quietly lapping against the shore. Drakken had landed the hover car a few minutes ago around the corner, since Kim said this was the best side to enter, and that it would be a good idea if he had a means of escaping where no one could see him. She waited as Wade did one more scan, checking on Ron every few minutes to make sure he hadn't gotten into any trouble.

"Everything seems to be on up there," Wade said, staring at the computer screen. "There's more power than usual. I still don't know what exactly he's up to, and still no plasma signature from Shego."

"Why doesn't she just use her glow to escape?" Kim asked him. "Actually, she doesn't even need it. She could get away if she wanted to. Junior isn't the brightest of villains."

"They remind her too much of her old life."

Kim turned around when she heard him speak, and saw Drakken looking at her from the shoreline. His arms were crossed, and she could tell he was getting more and more impatient as time went by. But a plan had to be made, and that's all there was to it.

"You think Shego can't use her powers anymore because of her change?" she asked Drakken as Ron came to stand next to her. She didn't know why she asked Drakken that. She knew Shego's powers were still there all too well. She'd used them to help defeat Electronique.

"No," he answered, wishing she'd turn that blasted little machine off so they could get on with the show already. "It's not that she can't. She _refuses_. Her powers are perfectly intact. But Miss Do-Good up there won't dare use them because that would make her a bad girl." He rolled his eyes at that.

Kim remembered when she'd visited Shego a few days after her outburst with Bonnie. She'd been devastated that she'd done such a thing, and showed even more kindness to everyone around her, feeling like she should make up for her little anger issue. And Drakken's words were spot on.

_Kimmie, I'm sorry!_ she'd sobbed to Kim. _I'm a bad girl!_

Kim didn't realize she'd been staring at Drakken this whole time. She quickly shook her head, and subconsciously looked down at Ron's pants to see if they were still intact.

Drakken continued speaking. "I hope your plan doesn't involve any help from Shego. Or not the kind of help you'd think."

Kim couldn't help the little rush of guilt that spread. This was her fault. If she had just helped Drakken in the first place and turned Shego back, none of this would have happened, and Shego wouldn't ignore the abilities she possessed. "Well… Maybe she will help us. You never know."

"I _do_ know. Very well actually. I know her better than anyone." Drakken came to stand by Kim and Ron, and would soon demand to know her plan if she didn't spit it out soon. "If your plan does involve Shego's glow, or any fighting from her, you need to start rethinking. It's not going to happen. I can guarantee you that."

Kim tried not to let the disappointment show on her face. She didn't think it did, but Drakken's knowing look said he'd spotted it. She kind of _was_ counting on Shego to help them when the time came, and now, like Drakken had said, she needed to rethink.

But not too much.

"Okay," she said, and pulled Drakken and Ron close to her, just in case Junior somehow managed to work the speakers she knew were installed all over the island. She'd clicked off with Wade a few minutes ago when his first part of the plan was complete, and knew they only had so much time before the second part was done as well. "Here's the plan, boys. Wade says everything's on up there. And the Seniors were known for having everything imaginable when it came to evil weapons and such."

She glared at Drakken's little spark of interest in that.

"_No_ stealing. Anything. No touching either. Except for Ron of course."

"What!?" Drakken yelled, and glared at the grinning sidekick. "That's not fair!"

"Do you know how many times Ron has saved the day by carelessly touching things? Too many to count." It kind of embarrassed her to reveal something like that with her arch foe, but he would need to know exactly what to do if they were to do this thing.

"Hmph." Drakken folded his arms and rolled his eyes, his glare in Ron's direction remaining. "And here I thought it was you that was the pain. It's him too."

"Just the essential Ron-ness, Dr. D," Ron replied.

The look Drakken gave him instantly shut him up. It was different from his previous glare, and it was the same look that Kim had been slightly afraid of before. "Do _not_ call me that. Ever."

Kim didn't know if it was because he'd always hated that little nickname, or because Shego was the only one who used it constantly. She quickly coughed to bring everyone's attention back, and continued with her plan.

"Back to the plan," Kim said, having the two boys look to her once again. "Since everything's on, we're guessing Junior plans to use it. Me and Ron will enter first, and then you sneak in after," she said to Drakken, who surprisingly was paying quite a lot of attention all of a sudden. "Try not to let Junior see you if you can. We'll distract him, and try to keep whatever's coming at you away long enough for you to find Shego and escape."

"Not that I care or anything, because believe me, I really don't," Drakken began, wanting to get every essential detail of the plan down so he knew exactly what to do. "But how are you and the buffoon getting out of there?"

"Wade has contacted the nearest police. They're on their way. But don't worry," she said as Drakken paled slightly. "You'll have time for you and Shego to get to your hover car and get away without them seeing you."

Everything was quiet as Drakken stared at Kim, the slightest bit of astonishment on his face. "You're… You're going to let me go?"

Kim stared back and swallowed, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't sound like she'd gone all mushy and sympathetic for her villains now. She wasn't letting him go because they'd somehow created some twisted friendship during all of this - because that just wasn't true - but because after everything she'd done to both him and Shego, he deserved to fly away in peace rather than carted off to Cell Block D once again. She didn't have to beg for his help with this, because he just came on his own, no bargaining whatsoever. Kim didn't want to think letting him go was some sort of atonement for her sins, but just because she didn't want to think it didn't make it any less true.

"Yes," she answered finally, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. "The authorities only know that Junior is here, and very much wanted. They don't know the situation with you, or with Shego. So no one will be looking for you."

Drakken couldn't believe this. There were many times in the past where his plans were foiled and he was defeated, and Kim Possible never pursued him further enough to put him away after every scheme. And there were also many other times when she did put him away. But hearing her now, actually watching her speak the words that she'd let him and Shego go in peace, it was quite the shock.

"So… just find Shego, help her in any way you need to, and get out. If Junior's up to something, we'll stop him. The police will show up soon and take him away, and we'll just hitch a ride with them. No big."

Drakken didn't know what to say, the after effect of knowing that Kim Possible was letting him go still new, so he just nodded. "Yes… No big."

"Junior is your main department, Ron. So do whatever it is that you do while I keep everyone safe."

He gave her a thumbs up and a smile. "Got it, KP."

"Are you two always this chipper before you ruin someone's day?"

Kim looked at Drakken with a raised eyebrow. "You want us to forget about saving Shego and go on our merry way instead?"

Drakken growled softly and rolled his eyes at her again. "Let's just get on with it."

The plan was perfectly easy, Drakken thought as him, Kim, and the buffoon began climbing the island mountain up to the Senior's lair. Go in, get Shego, and get out. He knew first hand what a lot of evil weapons did, so maybe he could deactivate a few before and after he got Shego, just to keep the two of them safe of course, or maybe he could calculate exactly what one of them did so he could do the opposite and make sure it didn't get him at all.

And maybe, if their lives depended on it and going against what he said to Kim earlier, just maybe Shego would open her green eyes and rediscover who she truly was. It would help immensely if she'd just wake up from this goody delusion and help them out. He knew he wouldn't worry about her as much if he knew she had her old confidence back. But seeing her like the poor, defenseless mouse she'd become sickened him in a way he could live without. This life she'd created for herself did nothing for her, except get her feelings hurt a lot worse by expecting the best of others, and apparently kidnapped by a twisted maniac.

——————————————————————————————

Sneaking into the lair was no big for any of them. Kim went first to make sure the coast was clear, and Ron and Drakken followed up, sneaking behind as quietly as they could manage. Kim was actually surprised at how 'in the zone' the two were. She was expecting some bickering, but Drakken seemed determined, and Ron just going with the flow as usual.

As they snuck through corridors and other parts of the lair, Kim was surprised when nothing jumped at them. No traps, no pits. Nothing. Maybe this wasn't an attempt to lure Kim Possible and company as she'd originally thought. She didn't know just yet what his motive was, but knew that Señior Senior Senior would take great pride in telling her his wonderful plan.

They were getting close to the main chamber, since mostly all their schemes somehow ended in a climactic battle there instead of other places. They hadn't really passed many rooms on their way down a long corridor, but whenever they'd come to one, one of them would check inside to see if Shego was there. They kept turning up empty, so Kim figured she was either in the main chamber itself, or somewhere beyond that.

As they grew near, Kim stopped and wiggled her nose as a foul stench seemed to float in the air. She didn't know how exactly to explain it to Ron or Drakken, but when she turned to ask them if they did smell it, she saw the two of them holding their noses. She did the same, and tried to figure what exactly they were regrettably smelling.

"What is that?" she asked them, and frowned when they both shrugged. She contemplated pulling out her Kimmunicator and asking Wade to sample it, but figured it was a waste of time. If it was important, they'd find out soon enough.

The door to the main chamber was in sight. It was the door her and Ron always used to get inside, since the Senior's windows didn't open and were too thick enough to break, and their ventilation shafts were way too tiny to crawl through. Kim opened it as soundlessly as she could manage, and peaked around. She then turned back to the boys.

"Okay, Drakken, Shego is somewhere beyond here. I didn't see her in there, so when I give the signal, just run to the other side and go whatever you think you should go to find her." Kim didn't think she had to tell Ron what to do. He never really followed directions, and just letting him do his thing never really hurt in the past.

Drakken nodded, having the annoying urge to ask why she thought she was so in charge, but held it back, thoughts of Shego helping quite a lot.

Kim peaked inside again, and she glared a little when she saw Junior pacing back and forth. He was on the other side of the room, standing on another ledge much higher then the floor. It reminded her when he'd been on stage during Valentine's Day, but he no longer looked like the boy who wanted to become the next big pop star. He kept clattering his teeth and ringing his hands. And talking to himself, words she couldn't understand.

"Junior's back there," she told them, watching Drakken glare more than she had. "Try not to let him see you, Drakken. It'll make things easier."

"Yes, yes," he answered, clearly beginning to get more annoyed. "Let's just hurry this up."

Kim felt Ron take her hand and squeeze it. She looked back at him and smiled, then pushed the door open, making it bang on the wall as hard as she could manage, and ran inside with Ron behind her.

Junior noticed them instantly and gasped loudly. "Kim Possible! Kim Possible!"

"Where's Shego, Junior?" Kim demanded, her determined snarl already in place.

"_Shego_! You will _not_ take her! She is _mine_!"

"Dude," Ron said, lifting his eyebrow and staring pitifully. "You totally need to take a Xanax. You look terrible."

"I _hate_ you!" Junior screamed, fisting his hand through his hair and pulling hard. Kim actually flinched. "I hate you all!"

Kim watched as Junior reached inside his pocket and pull out a controller. He pressed a lot of buttons, and Kim knew right then and there that that was definitely not a good thing.

All around her different things seemed to hum to life. She'd heard it a thousand times before. The sound of something that was no doubt going to aim for her coming to life. She looked around frantically, waiting for something to happen.

Kim and Ron's eyes widened slightly when everything happened all at once. Below them, different parts of the floor vanished and became a pit, some filled with deadly spikes and others with water that had the threatening shadow of something swimming underneath. Parts of the walls opened, releasing alligators and other devices. Kim saw movement on the ceiling above and watched lasers point their way, ready to fire. And other contraptions, one's she'd never seen before seem to ready themselves.

Kim sighed and dipped into a battle pose.

"You will die with us!" Junior screamed, and flew down the latter that ended on the same floor as the teen hero's, pointing his controller at them like it was a deadly weapon. "Once you are dead, I will bring my beloved out here to suffer the same fate! You will _not_ ruin our plans!"

Kim and Ron then spilt into separate directions, trying to give Drakken the opening he needed. Junior automatically went for Kim while Ron ran to find anything he could stop something with.

Drakken watched from behind the door that lead into the main chamber, keeping the bright purple color of Kim's mission outfit in sight, waiting for his turn. And as he listened intently everything that Junior had said, he discovered what exactly his plan was.

He wanted to kill Shego and himself with everything that Kim Possible and the buffoon were currently avoiding. Why, he didn't yet know and didn't particularly care to find out. He just needed to find Shego. Junior's earlier words told him she was still alive.

Kim ran to the nearest wall, Junior hot on her tail, and jumped, kicking it and flipping back. When she landed on her feet, Junior was in front of her, everything now too quick for him to handle. She reared her leg back, and slammed her foot into the middle of his back, his head bouncing off the wall and even denting it slightly.

Kim quickly pointed to the stage Junior had been atop before, and jumped away as a laser aimed and fired, pieces of the floor flying up from the blast and splintering Junior.

Drakken noticed the signal and ran, dodging lasers and running as fast as he could so he didn't catch the attention of the 5 giant alligators that the buffoon and his little rat thing were trying to distract and keep away from Kim as she handled Junior. He kept his eyes on the ladder, and climbed up at a speed that surprised even himself. He looked back quickly. Junior almost pushed Kim into one of the many huge sharp spikes that sprung out from the walls, but she avoided it with an impressive back-hand spring, and flew a fist into his gut.

He looked ahead, and saw two double doors. Shego had to be somewhere through them. As the two doors _swooshed_ and opened for him, Drakken noticed the foul stench from before seem to get stronger with every step he took. It was then when he wondered where exactly Señior Senior Senior was.

The doors closed behind, and Drakken did the only other thing he could think of besides searching in every door he came to.

"Shego!" he yelled, and it brought memories from the past. But this time, Shego wasn't just appearing out of nowhere after every time he'd called for her. "Shego!"

He spotted a door, one different from all the others he'd passed. It had three golden S's engraved into it, and Drakken couldn't think of a better place to look inside at the moment. If the old man was in there, Drakken would force him to tell him where Shego was. He may not have the expert fighting skills as Kim Possible or Shego herself. But he could be very mean.

Drakken slammed the door open with an enraged snarl covering his face.

And instantly dropped it at the sight before him.

Back in the chamber, Kim panted and tried not to show it. The lasers were still coming at full force, one of the alligators almost bit her leg off, and Junior had come so close to knocking her into the pool that held what she thought was some kind of shark. During the fight, one of the alligator's tail had carelessly fallen into the pool as it crawled towards Ron, and whatever was swimming in there bit down on the reptile's tail, dragging it into the water. The once crystal blue water was a deep red now, and Kim could definitely live without having to fight off whatever was in there through a crimson haze if she'd fallen too.

As Ron ran up a staircase, hoping that the fat alligator's couldn't climb, he looked around to find Kim. She seemed to be doing okay. He could see the sweat that clung to her face, and the aggravated expression that appeared after a while. He gasped when she almost fell into a spike pit and successfully dodging another laser strike at the same time, and knew he had to find some way to help her, other than keeping the alligator's away.

"Now would be a really good time to use mystical monkey power!" he said to no one, and hoped that if it only came when he really needed it, now would be the best time.

Kim bent slightly, and rested her hands on her knee's as she panted. Nothing seemed to be coming her way at the moment, and she just needed to stop. Just for a second. She stopped her heavy breathing and lifted her head at the insane giggling coming only from Junior.

"What's so funny, Junior?" she said, putting a little mockery into her voice to annoy him. "Anticipating your trip to the loony bin?"

"Yeah!" Ron yelled from another part of the chamber, trying to get some of Junior's attention onto him and not just Kim. "You… You loon!"

Junior only giggled more. "Oh, Kim Possible. If only you agreed to be my blue fox. All of this would be for you!"

Kim flinched and Ron made a gagging sound. "Not on your life."

"You forget, Kim Possible," Junior said, and twisted his happy face into a threatening smirk, and pointing his controller that Kim still couldn't get out of his hands at her. "Father is watching over me. And I have something that will bring back some very happy memories for you." He pressed one of the buttons.

Kim continued to hold her glare at him, and stepped back as another laser fired. She heard a door open not too far off, but didn't worry about that just yet. Another laser lined up, powering another blast that would head her way. Kim pulled out her mirror, aiming it at the laser. The blast fired, and Kim was shot back a few feet when it ricocheted off her mirror, and destroyed the laser it came from. Kim repeated the action, taking out more lasers and keeping away from other things as well. She didn't have time to do this before. Junior had kept close, and still had Shego's fighting lessons locked away in his crazy mind.

"Kim!"

She looked to Ron high up, who was throwing whatever he could find down at the alligator's roaring up at him, and looked to where he frantically pointed.

Junior giggled insanely some more as three spinning tops of doom came her way, no doubt through the door she'd heard earlier.

Kim growled loudly. She hated these things. And off she went to find some way to destroy them again.

Through the door's with the three golden S's, Drakken stared at the sight.

He knew it was the old man's bedroom off the bat. The huge mahogany king-sized bed sat in the middle of the red and gold decorated room, the light giving the inside a soft, golden glow. But the bed itself wasn't what his attention was drawn too. And it wasn't the fact that the stench was at it's strongest where he was now.

Señor Senior Senior's dead corpse was draped across the seemingly shining comforter. Some small tendrils of his silver hair trailed across his face, whiter since death. There were bluish and white tints around his eyes, his nose, and the edges of his shriveled lips. Drakken knew he'd suffocated, and not instantly. There were nail marks where he tried to claw at his own chest, as if trying to get air into the lungs that no longer worked. What seemed to be a weird shaped handprint covered his dark grey neck, and Drakken decided that those prints were of Junior's own hands.

Drakken heard a muffled noise, and opened the door fully. And there was Shego, laying on top of what he assumed was a hospital bed, her hands cuffed to the bars on the side, and Senior's own neck tie wrapped around her head, covering her mouth. She looked at him desperately, almost like he were some dream she'd created and would soon vanish. Drakken ran up to her at lightening speed.

"Shego!" He untied the bond at her mouth, and she sighed deeply. "Are you okay?" His hands were already reaching for her handcuffs.

"What's happening out there? What's going on?"

"Quit talking, Shego, and rip these things apart! Kim Possible and her boyfriend are giving us time to escape."

Shego eyes went to what lay in the bed beside hers, and he saw her shiver. "He was going to handcuff me to him…"

Drakken stopped his struggle at her bonds and looked at her. He was so happy to see her alive and well, and still in the dress she'd been taken in. He wanted to hold her and tell her she was okay now, but time was wasting, and the best thing for her would be to get her out of here. "Just break these, Shego. You've done it before. Hurry up and we can leave." He held the cuffs up, and waited.

Shego looked down at the metal link, and then back up at him. Her eyes were a little glossy, and the bruise on her cheek angered Drakken enough to scream.

"I can't…" she muttered, and pulled weakly at them, almost as if that would give him the help he needed.

"What do you mean you can't? Of course you can, Shego. Just pull your hands apart. Like this." He took her elbows and began pulling them away from each other.

"No. I can't do it."

Her arms fell when he dropped them. She looked a little paler than usual, her eyes were shiny and tired, and her torso seemed to sag. Drakken knew it had to be from lack of sleep, and that she was just too tired to use her strength, even if her life depended on it.

"Okay," he said, and lifted her hands. "Use your glow. Hurry up now."

She gave him that lost look once more, and Drakken had to hold in an inpatient growl. If he wasn't so happy to see her now he wouldn't have kept it in. "Shego, please. Put aside those stupid beliefs and break them so we can leave!"

She continued to do nothing, and Drakken couldn't stop the long, drawn out sigh. "Shego, we're going to _die_ if you don't use your glow and help! Do you understand that?"

"I don't do that anymore!" she yelled at him, and Drakken didn't know if he should be happy because of her outburst, or worried. "Nothing good comes from it! Look where it's got me now!"

Drakken stared at her, and realized that once again his words would do no good. If he didn't do something now, something bad would happen, and put them in an even worse position. He grabbed the bar that held her to the bed, and began furiously pulling at it. He willed it to break, and once Shego calmed down enough from her previous explosion, she began pulling with him, until it finally gave and snapped right off. Drakken quickly pulled out a little piece of metal he somehow created into a skeleton key. It was one of the tools him and Shego used to break in to so many places. He didn't know why he didn't use it in the first place before pulling off the side bar, but figured he needed to cool off the anger welling up inside from Shego's denial in her powers. He quickly inserted the key into her cuffs, and after some jiggling and huffing later, finally managed to unlock them.

Shego threw them away and hopped off the bed, instantly making her way towards the door. She needed to be as far away from Junior's father's body as possible. No one would ever realize how horrible being locked inside a room with a dead body was until it actually happened to them.

Once they were both out, the sound of an explosion from the chamber making the walls rumble, Drakken closed the door to ward off some of the terrible smell. Once it clicked shut, Shego flung her arms around his neck and hugged him as close as she could.

His eyes widened at the act, never really getting used to the feel of Shego's body against his. His arms remained in the air awkwardly for a few seconds, until he finally spared the time to rest them around her waist.

"I didn't think anyone would come," She murmured against him, and held onto him enough so he wouldn't magically disappear somehow. "I'm so glad you came."

He knew she was scared, and now relieved. He wanted to continue holding her, much like he did the evening of her nightmare. The smell of her, the touch of her skin from the parts not covered by her dress soothed and warmed him. But now was not the time for hugging. Now was the time for escaping.

He pulled Shego away gently, touching her good cheek, the one not covered in black and blue, and almost smiled when that one simple touch seemed to calm her more than the hug. Another explosion sounded, and Drakken quickly grabbed Shego's hand and pulled her back the way they'd come.

Shego followed behind him, running as fast as she could in her dress, clutching his hand as if he'd somehow leave her if she didn't. Once they finally made it back to the chamber, her heart swelled and a smile spread across her face when she saw Kim running from the very last spinning top of doom leashed upon her, and Ron running after her.

Another loud explosion vibrated the lair, and everyone in the room looked up to see the ceiling now crumbling down in giant chunks.

Shego's gaze dropped down and landed on Junior. He was giggling again, twirling around as if in some sort of dance with himself.

"And now we will _all_ die!" he screamed, laughing and laughing. Somewhere in his crazy mind he just knew his father would be proud of him.

Kim ran, the top following her and Ron right behind it. A smirk appeared on her face, and she headed for the still crimson pool. Ron seemed to get what she was trying to do and stopped. Just as she was about to fall right in, Kim leapt into the air, somersaulting over the water and whatever swam inside it. The last spinning top of doom couldn't jump, and plummeted right in. More blood flowed to the surface, and Kim saw the shark float to the top of the water, dead.

The lair began to crumble all around, pieces falling here and there. Kim grabbed Ron's arm, looking around until she saw the sight she'd been waiting for. Drakken and Shego ran towards them, her billowing burgundy dress flowing behind her as she did.

A loud shriek turned everyone's attention on to Junior. He'd spotted Shego too.

"_No_!" he screamed, and started skipping towards her. "No, you are mine!" Junior panted heavily and looked around, frantically trying to find something to pick up, anything. "You will die, Shego! And so will I!"

Another explosion, but this time the sane minds knew what they had to do. Kim and Ron bolted to their exit, and Drakken pulled Shego to a overhanging shaft, tossing her under and following her right after. Pieces of ceiling as big as cars fell all around, and Drakken tried to think of some way he could get to where Possible was now. Shego clutched his arm and he looked at her.

As the ceiling fell, they stared at each other. Each grateful, but for different things. One for the fact that his love was fine, even though still a little confused on who exactly she was. And the other for her rescuer.

Shego looked at Drakken and couldn't tell him enough how thankful she was to have him here right now. He'd risked his life to save her. No one had done something like that for her. Not really. Not in the way that mattered. It was nice not to rely on herself the entire time. Shego slowly lifted her hand as the roof continued to fall around them, and placed it on his cheek, just like he'd done to her before.

Fire erupted somewhere, and Shego again saw the deep, deep blue of his eyes. She saw her reflection in them, and as she looked as that, saw her face getting bigger and bigger by the millisecond. Drakken had leaned forward after another explosion, resting the palms of his hands in the floor they sat on, not knowing that they'd ended up on either side of Shego's thighs. He didn't care, and neither did she. Her other hand had found it's way around his neck, caressing him there softly in the same way as his cheek.

The sounds of the chaos around them seemed to slow down until their noses touched. And then there was no sound at all. Not to them. Drakken couldn't believe what was happening. There wasn't even an inch away from their lips, and he almost groaned when he saw Shego part hers ever so slightly.

He stared into her eyes and saw the spark that he longed to see every time he saw her now. Her hands felt so warm against his skin, and the Shego he knew and loved stared back at him, her eyes then going from innocent and worried, to sultry and careless. Drakken couldn't take it. He needed to feel her as close as he could before his Shego went away again, only to return at inopportune moments. He needed to kiss her. She obviously wanted him too, because her hands seemed to pull ever so gently the longer he waited.

Drakken leaned into the smallest distance left between them, the tips of their lips touching so softly, they might as well not have been touching at all.

And he jerked back, causing her hand around his neck to drop. His eyes widened as he continued to stare into her eyes.

Shego drew her brows together, and opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but instantly closed it when he grabbed the wrist to that hand still on his cheek, and pulled it away.

His eyes dropped from hers and onto her hand.

Onto her engagement ring.

The sounds around them were heard once again, the moment gone. Chunks of debris crashed and shattered, Kim and Ron were yelling at them to be careful or watch out, and Junior screamed in fear, trying to dodge whatever was falling his way.

Drakken didn't know how long he stared at the little rock around Shego's finger, her very important finger. But the longer he looked, more feeling seeped from him, and finally leaving him numb for the moment. He lifted his eyes back to Shego's and discovered that the spark was once again gone. His Shego was gone again.

"Drakken!" Kim screamed to him, and his eyes left Shego's, as hard as it suddenly was, and he looked to Kim.

"Drakken, run! Now!"

He quickly looked up and saw his opening. He grabbed Shego's other hand, not wanting to ever feel the touch of her ring against his skin again, and ran with her behind him.

The two finally made it, and Kim looked back into the chamber for Junior. She could hear him screaming for his father. It pained her, and she almost made a run for it to save him. But Ron, knowing what she was planning, grabbed her arm and hauled her after Drakken and Shego.

Junior kept screaming and screaming, until another loud crack was heard, then a crash.

And the screaming stopped.

——————————————————————————————

There were about 10 police boats, the red and blue flashing lights illuminating the island from outside. Kim, Ron, and Shego didn't think they'd ever seen a prettier sight.

Drakken stayed out of sight, keeping to the shadows, and finally letting Shego's hand drop to her side.

She looked back at him, and frowned. She couldn't think of what to say. She didn't even know how she was feeling right then. During the time they'd sat there in the lair, the roof crumbling around them and simply looking at each other, she'd felt a warm vibration swell up from her lower stomach, and up to her chest. The feeling wasn't so unfamiliar. She seemed to get that feeling some times when she was around him. And it was strange to her, because whenever she did, Drakken would get this happy gleam in his eyes, just like he used to when one of his schemes seemed to be working for the moment.

Shego liked that feeling. She wished she knew what caused it, so she could feel it again. Drakken seemed to bring it out the most, and Shego couldn't decide if that was a good thing, or a bad one.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked him, feeling a little foolish just standing there with him while there was a whole brigade of safe police down below.

He simply stared at her for just a little longer, not having the courage to look down at her ring again. He didn't want her to know it was the main reason for his now foul mood. It would seem too obvious. And it wasn't like it would help in any way. So he just shook his head, and dropped his gaze down to his feet.

Shego looked back to the cops but stayed where she was. She found herself not really wanting to go down there with them. She wanted to stay here, just long enough to know Drakken had safely evacuated the island.

She found herself wanting to go with him.

"Shani!"

Shego's head snapped away from Drakken and back to the shoreline. Only one person knew that name. Stevie climbed out of one of the boats and made his way as far as the cops would let him, and called her name again. "Shani!"

She heard movement next to her, and saw Drakken walking down the mountain, and over to where she could see his hover car waiting.

"Dr. D!" she called, and almost tripped on her heels.

Drakken's head snapped back to her, a hopeful gleam in his eyes she knew were blue. She liked that look a lot better than the defeated one it was before.

"Shego?" he asked, and stopped, looking up at her on a ledge above him.

Steve called again. "Shani!"

Shego swallowed when she heard her real name, Drakken seeming to not hear it at all, and continued to look at him. "Thank you for saving me," she whispered.

Drakken looked at her for just a bit longer, wanting her to come down and leave with him, willing her to say something sarcastic, wishing she'd call him Dr. D again.

And when she ceased to move, to do anything, Drakken understood that she wasn't leaving with him. But another man. The one she was going to marry.

They went their separate ways. Drakken hopped into his hover car alone, and watched from there as Shego made her way down the mountain, and was instantly scooped up into who he presumed was Stevie's arms.

For a moment she'd been herself. They'd almost kissed each other, and she'd been herself. She'd been his Shego again. And now she was gone. Drakken now knew that even if little parts of her true self emerged, she still wouldn't be his. Right now she was Stevie's. Drakken didn't want her to be Stevie's, and she couldn't ever be his alone.

He just wanted Shego to be Shego's. He wanted her to be herself. Things wouldn't be the same if she was anyone else then who she was born to be. Drakken had told her that he was through trying to bully her into understanding. Maybe he was. Maybe now he wasn't, looking down at her and Stevie embracing.

But he didn't feel sure enough of his ground to argue.

**TBC**

**A/N: Longest. Chapter. Ever! I wouldn't be surprised if my fingers fell right off. Thank you to all my reviewers! You're the best. **

**Another thing. You know those really old D/S fics, like maybe from 4 or 5 years ago, that always had Junior as the one to threaten Drakken and Shego's relationship? He was always her abusive or sleezy boyfriend, and somewhere along the line he would cause some big riot that would bring D&S together. It was like the sort of theme for all D/S stories to me back then. So this is my little tribute to them. Yay for the old D/S fan fictions!**


	20. Touch

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 20**

**Touch**

**I**t was Christmas Eve in Middleton. The town was decorated to the max. Everywhere you looked there was a Christmas tree here and there, a few snowmen, and a ton of lights. Children's eyes sparkled with the anticipation of Santa Claus visiting them later on after bedtime, and mostly every parent wondering which debt management agency to call after the new year began. Everyone seemed to be in the joyous mood that Christmas came with. The headline on all the newspapers couldn't dampen it too much.

The title was **"Billionaire Family Tragically Killed"**. It caused a few shocks, especially to those who stayed current with public affairs. But to most, it was simply a reliever.

The story of the murders of the criminals know as the Seniors was popular all around, especially in Europe. Some were shocked to hear or read it, others thought it was a lie, and more were happy that the father and son duo got what they deserved. The article told the life of the Seniors; their rise in fortune and in villainy, their crimes and even past good deeds, and their relationship.

The autopsy of Señior Senior Senior revealed he'd been strangled, but what seemed to have cause his outright death was the heart attack that came while the strangling took place. Another test showed that it was his son who caused his death, and for that, people felt just a little sympathy for the old man.

Junior, however, received none.

The only emotion people felt towards him was a little shock that he'd died so horribly. Everyone who read the article learned that during an anxiety attack, the boy had demolished his own home while still inside. The famous teen hero Kim Possible had tried to stop him, but couldn't save him from the chunk of his own ceiling that had crushed him. During the cleanup, his body was immediately cremated.

Their was no surviving family, no one who could inherit the Senior's fortune. The island mansion ended up being donated to an old hang out of Senior's, the Billionaire's Club, and the money was spilt between charities. Nobody knew what could have been done with so much money, and that seemed to be the best choice. There was a little joke at the end of the article saying that even though the Senior's had done so much harm to the world, it was their passing that helped thousands of people a lot more than donations made in 3 years.

Kim Possible had made a statement that she was saddened by their death, but that there was really nothing she could have done to save either of them.

——————————————————————————————

Shego clicked the off button on her phone and threw it down onto the floor beside her bed. She vowed that she wouldn't answer it again for the rest of the day, but judging by exactly how many times Stevie and her brothers had called already, just checking up on her, she didn't know how long that would last. It was sweet that they were so concerned, she told herself, trying not the let the urge of calling them all back and telling them to leave her the hell alone corrupt her. They were just worried, after what she'd been through just yesterday, and she shouldn't snip at them for that. She wouldn't because they were just constantly calling because they loved her.

Shego reached over and unplugged the phone line.

Even though she knew it was wrong, she found herself not wanting to talk to anyone. Not her brothers, no matter how protective they all suddenly became, not Kimmie - she'd called just to see if she was doing all right and then instantly ended the conversation - and most of all Stevie. She didn't want to see him, she didn't want him touching her for a while, and she didn't want to hear his voice.

Shego frowned at that. What kind of fiancée was she anyway? It was just horrible of her to want to stay away from him, but she knew it was for his own good. If he knew what she was feeling now, he'd thank her for the distance.

He'd probably make it permanent.

Looking back at what had taken place just a few hours ago, Shego just couldn't believe it. It wasn't that she'd been kidnapped by an insane brat, it wasn't that she'd been left in a room alone with the corpse of a man she once knew for hours, and it wasn't the fact that Junior was now dead.

She was feeling things, things that brought so many memories from her past life with Drakken. She'd almost kissed him, almost kissed another man, a man she wasn't marrying. And the worst part was the fact that she'd wanted it, she'd wanted not only his kiss, but her old life too. She wanted to be his sidekick again, to mock and tease, to be able to do anything she wanted.

And the longer she laid in her bed thinking about it, Shego could feel herself becoming different. She didn't feel like cleaning her apartment today, something she did regularly. She was glad she didn't have to go to school and teach a bunch of unappreciative brats. She found herself smiling a little when referring to them as just that. She didn't want to take the Wego's to the mall so they could get their traditional picture with Santa. Actually, she would simply demand against it. She wasn't taking them because it was stupid.

She didn't want to be in this crappy apartment with all the bright colors. She wanted to be somewhere warm instead. She didn't feel like bringing her plants back inside so they wouldn't die out in the cold weather.

Who cared? They were just stupid plants. Why had she even gotten them in the first place?

Shego suddenly slapped herself. This was getting_ way_ out of hand. It may have felt good to actually want simple things like that, but it was wrong.

She looked down at herself, and thought it was time to get dressed. It was almost late afternoon and she was still in her pajama's, but Shego decided that she'd feel better if she'd just through on some actual clothes.

As she walked to her closet, Shego thought more about almost kissing Drakken.

Something was changing inside her at that time. She couldn't explain what was happening, but it was a feeling that seemed to eventually happen whenever she was with him. She felt warm and relieved, almost as if a heavy weight was suddenly lifted from her shoulders. And the more she thought about it, the more Shego came to fully understanding what seemed to happen to her every time he came near.

Shego could remember perfectly her old life now. There was no second guessing, or little parts of her that had gone unremembered. She knew everything that had happened to them when they'd been partners in crime. She could remembered every jail cell, the ones that they'd temporarily shared and the ones they didn't. She could see every one of Drakken's plans in her mind, and what caused each one to fail. She could hear him yelling for and at her. She could feel his warmth every time he'd stood next to her.

And Shego could remember the unwanted feelings she felt when it came to her former boss, the ones that made him the number one target of her mocking and sarcasm. She could remember when she used to beat herself up for being attracted to him. It was a feeling she absolutely hated, but one she couldn't control. She knew it was a little immature at the time to be so mean to the one you wanted, but she hadn't cared. She never cared about anything back then.

Shego knew it was because she'd always been attracted to powerful men. All her life she'd always gone for the biggest, the fastest, the strongest. It was a weakness, one that was good at times, and bad during others. And finding herself attracted to Drakken was definitely something she could've lived without.

She'd never loved him. Shego didn't even think she'd had a crush. Crushes were so juvenile. She decided that what she felt had been simple lust because of her attraction.

She figured it started during the time when he'd switched his brain with some military nerd's. Most likely at the exact moment when he'd grabbed her hand and yelled at her that he wanted his body back. It had been so… unexpected of him. And Shego couldn't help at the time but be a little stunned by his actions. Unfortunately for her, she'd been stunned in the good way.

Yep, Shego told herself as she rummaged through her clothes. She'd always been attracted to powerful men. And Drakken had not been an exception.

After selecting the clothing she felt like wearing, she calmly slipped everything on, and looked in the mirror. A few days ago this would have been a big no no to her. She was surprised that she'd even found these colors in her closet in the first place. But she didn't care. This was what she wanted to wear, and exactly what would stay on her body for the time being.

Shego looked down at the black jeans that she'd worn before, and then slowly up at the green t-shirt that covered her chest. Without thinking about it, she lifted a hand and pulled the tie that held her hair up in a ponytail out, and let her black locks fall around her body and face.

And because she felt like she had to, Shego pulled the huge box from her closet that contained all her previous belongings that Drakken had sent to her from the lair. She moved some things around, and found her black lipstick. She stared back into her mirror, and slowly applied it to her lips. With a soft smack, she felt her lips form into a little smile.

It would be cold outside, Shego thought, and the thin green t-shirt would simply not do alone. She rummaged through the box again, and after a few minutes of searching discovered her old Club Banana jacket made from the finest green leather. She could remember how badly Kim Possible had wanted it, and could feel the old satisfaction that she'd gotten it first spread through her stomach.

Shego jumped at the sound of her doorbell, and threw the jacket onto her bed before heading for the door to see who it was that would be bothering her now. She just knew she'd scream if it was Steve.

She opened the door to find Drakken standing in her doorway, his eyes on the ground in front of him, and his hands behind his back. Shego couldn't stop the smile spreading across her face. She was glad it had been Drakken instead of Stevie or her brothers.

"Hi, Dr. D," she said, and discovered that she enjoyed calling him by his old nickname. Her smile suddenly vanished when an image of his face after seeing her engagement ring appeared in her mind. She found herself being somewhat glad that she'd removed it from her hand a little while ago. Not because she was having seconds thoughts, but because she thought she didn't deserve to wear it after what she and her former boss had almost done back at the Senior's. "Come in or you'll be sick for a week."

He did as he was told, and waited for her to shut the door behind him before lifting his eyes, and really looking at her.

His eyes widened a little at her green and black clothing. He knew it probably meant nothing, but it had been so long since he'd seen those colors on her, and seeing them now felt pretty good. She looked just as she used to. Her hair had the same thickness and waves, and her lips were the old black color he'd been so accustomed to. A slight pain faded into his chest. But it was nothing new for him, not since discovering his feelings for her and that she'd never feel the same. That she'd never be the same.

Shego had been looking back at him. The comfortable silence that they'd always shared seemed to have stayed with them, and she was glad for it. She wondered why he looked so tired. She wanted to ask, but found herself asking something else instead.

"What brings you here?"

Drakken swallowed softly, still holding his hands behind his back. "I came to see if you were okay."

Shego waited for the annoyance, but it never came. How could that be? she asked herself while staring at him. How could she not want her own family to say those words to her, but with Drakken it was perfectly fine?

"Oh. I'm okay. Thank you for asking."

Drakken almost smiled when he saw her slightly cringe when saying those words. He knew she was trying her hardest to be the polite lady she tried to make everyone think she was now. But Drakken could see the inner battle. He hoped her old self was winning. Judging by her appearance, maybe it was.

"I, um… I brought you something." He removed his hands from behind his back, and showed her what looked to be a green rectangle the shape of a laptop computer.

"What's this for?"

"Well… it's Christmas Eve. I… I made this for you."

Shego stared at it. She already had a computer. She didn't want to tell him that if it was what it turned out to be, because it would be impolite of her if she turned his gift down. She stared at it for a little longer, trying to decide if it was anything else.

"What is it?" she asked, inspecting it closer.

He didn't answer, but set it on the ground. Shego watched as he pressed a small black button on the side. Her eyes widened a little as the rectangle began to shift and move, turning into something totally different. It grew, pieces attaching here and inserting there, until it finally took shape into something Shego marveled in.

The laptop size rectangle had rebuilt itself into a emerald colored beach lounge chair, one that shined and sparkled, ready for use when the sun and warmth returned. Shego gasped softly enough for Drakken not to hear, and stepped forward to touch it. It felt like steel, but held the beauty of gold. Its emerald color glittered in her eyes, and Shego couldn't stop the silly smile.

"Wow," she said softly, and moved to sit in it, propping her feet up. It was comfier than any other beach chair she'd owned in the past, but could still get the job done of allowing her to try for the perfect tan that never seemed to come. She could relax when laying here, and could see herself now on some beach in Fiji. She always wanted to go to Fiji.

Drakken didn't know what to do, so he started to talk. "The material will attract more sun, but not enough to burn your skin. I had some leftovers from the Diablo's. You remember right? The growing metal?"

Shego nodded. That must have been why it'd started out so small. It grew into this lovely beach chair.

Drakken continued. "That's what this is made out of. There are some buttons on the side. A small compartment opens up to hold all your lotions and oils. Just so you don't lose them again and blame me for stealing them." He tried to keep his eyes on the invention that was Shego's Christmas present, just so his eyes wouldn't wander up to the woman sitting in it. It was a hard thing to do. "It'll never break or grow rusty." His eyes seemed to look at nothing as she tried out different buttons. He could only feel his pain. He had to leave so it'd ease just a little, but he stayed where he was. "And it's the color of your eyes…"

"Pardon?"

Drakken quickly shook his head and coughed. "What? Ah… Your apartment has… flies."

Shego looked around and listened carefully for the annoying buzz, but couldn't find or hear anything. She shrugged and stood up, pressing the button Drakken showed her and watched her chair fold itself back up again.

She turned to him, and smiled sweetly. "I love it, Dr. D. Thank you."

Drakken stared at her, and felt the pain build up. She was just some nice girl now. A nice girl that would be married to who he assumed was a nice guy. Drakken cursed himself for thinking of that now. He would _not_ let his eyes wander down to her hand and the ring around her finger. But his eyes betrayed him, and he was surprised to find nothing.

He had to know. He had to ask her, or otherwise it would keep him from sleeping again, just like it did last night. "Shego," he began. "Tell me why you're marrying him. Be honest."

The question surprised her, even though she knew Drakken had always been a curious man. She had to think about her answer for a few seconds, and that worried her. "Because I want to."

"That's it?" he blurted, and sighed deeply so he could keep his voice more controlled. "Why do I get the feeling that you're just doing this to prove everyone wrong?"

Shego stared at him then, knowing she had a good comeback to that but found her lips ceasing to move. Why did he have to ask questions that made her question herself? She shouldn't have to do that. Shego knew she didn't love Steve Barkin, but figured she would eventually. She needed him for the security, for his love, for his support.

She… she really _did_ need to prove something to everyone.

"Merry Christmas, Shego," he murmured, and turned around to head slowly for the door.

Shego watched his back, the fact that he was intending to leave not really registering quite yet. The familiar warm vibration started in her lower stomach. Her hands felt hotter and her patience felt slimmer. The vibration swelled up into her chest, leaving her feeling all the old emotions and wants she used to have. She didn't want him to leave. She needed him to stay.

"Dr. D," she slightly shouted, and grabbed the door before he could close it.

Drakken looked up at nothing, and tried pulling on the door again. If only she could understand how hard this was, how difficult it was to see her as something he thought she'd never become. And when he couldn't close the door, her strength preventing him that, he turned his head to look at her.

The spark was flowing through her eyes. The emerald fire in them seemed to dance. His own eyes widened as he stared. It was more now, felt like more. It was as if nothing had ever changed, that she was still his sidekick. Her sultry glance was pointed his way like it always had been. And when she spoke, her chipper squeal of a voice seemed to disappear, replaced by the old confident flow.

"You're just gonna leave without saying goodbye?" She placed one of her hands on her hip, and leaned against the door, staring at him with one black eyebrow lifted. "That's pretty lame, Doc."

Drakken could do nothing but stare. For how long, he had no idea.

She hadn't realized they had moved so close together. Neither had he. His eyes were still locked on hers in slight astonishment and joy. Behind him the sun streamed in, losing it's power as the afternoon turned slowly into evening. And her apartment was utterly silent.

He touched her. He hadn't known he would, but the moment his fingers grazed her cheek he knew he needed to. She didn't move away. Perhaps he would have accepted it if she did. He wanted to believe he would have accepted it. But she didn't move.

There were nerves. He felt them in the hand he took that trembled in his. He had them too. How did he approach her when he knew he had no business approaching her? How did he resist what common sense told him he had to resist so he wouldn't become disappointed again? Yet her skin was warm under his touch. Her eyes, wide and giving off that familiar spark he longed to see from her were on his. She didn't move. She waited.

He swore at himself mentally even as he slowly moved his face closer to hers, inch by small inch.

It was madness to allow it. It was madness to want it. She was marrying someone else. But even before their lips fully touched she felt herself give in to him. As she gave, she braced herself, not knowing what to expect of herself or of him, but understanding that they were heading in the same direction as when they were at the Senior's.

No one had ever been like this with her, she thought. She had known passion, the quick desire that came from heat and frenzy. She had known the anger and the hunger a man could have for a woman, but she had never known this kind of reverence. And yet there were hints of darker needs in him, needs she could feel as he loomed and touched her, needs held down by chains that made the embrace more exciting, more involving.

His hands were suddenly in her hair, exploring while his eyes roamed endlessly over her face.

He had to stop. He couldn't stop, not when he could feel his Shego flowing out of her in his arms. One taste, just one taste and he knew he would crave more. It seemed he'd been empty without knowing it, and now he was slowly being filled.

Her hands were a little hesitant at first, almost as if she had to fight back her good thoughts and keep the ones she had with her now. They were almost innocent as they slipped over his arms to his shoulders. When she parted her lips, there was the curious shyness that she always knew he had.

He could smell the Christmas tree he'd bought her in her hair, on her skin. He'd stopped moving closer when she began touching him, and he sighed when she was the one now moving her mouth closer to his.

And then their lips met, softly at first but growing more deep when each never protested. Shego pulled him closer to her gently, trying to feel as much of his warmth as she could, and Drakken gave her what she wanted. He felt her lips part slowly against his, tasting and savoring the black cherry flavor of her lipstick that was now gone, and moved his hands to settle around her neck. They sighed into the kiss when their need for each other consumed them.

The war inside him raged on as their tongues touched. She wasn't merely a woman. She was a woman engaged to someone else.

She wasn't his to love. He wasn't hers to trust. Still, she pulled at him, bringing his body against hers in demand.

Drakken closed the door with his foot once she'd managed to pull him back inside. It was warm in her apartment, but he'd feel the same warmth from her mouth if he were standing outside. Shego pulled him further through her home, and sank into his body. The kiss became more heated, and both of them knew it was wrong on some level.

They didn't care.

**TBC**

**The queen of cliffhangers strikes again!**

**A/N: Alright, just a quick word. This is my little saying when I write a D/S. Ahem. **_**Drakken and Shego are adults, and deserve to be written as such.**_** I'm not saying that has to go for everyone. But it's my rule for me. That is all. Thank you for the reviews, my loves. **


	21. Breathless

**A/N: Attention, everyone. Just a little warning here. Most of this chapter is rated R. So if you do not like adult intimacy - though not very detailed to where it needs to be rated M - then please skip down to the lines that separate the scenes. Thanks and enjoy. **

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 21**

**Breathless**

**D**rakken didn't know whether it was the fact that she might have turned on the heat to protect her body against the cold outside, or things between them were getting a little more deep than he had expected. Shego's apartment seemed to be getting hotter by the second. But as they continued to kiss each other, he realized that it was them instead of the space around them.

Shego's little sighs and wandering hands were slowly destroying him. He knew his body was reacting in a pleasant way, and he knew Shego could feel that same reaction from how close she kept his body against her own. But what aroused him even more was the fact that she liked it. He couldn't stop touching her hair, her face, her neck. It was all so beautiful to him, and so very soft. He desperately wanted to touch other places too, since she wasn't stopping him anyway, but he felt he had to keep her up against him, just as she was doing to him. It was a desperate need, one they both had.

Drakken held her face in his hands as he kissed her, careful not to touch the yellowing bruise on her cheek, and kissed her in just the right way to make her go limp just a little. He didn't feel her hands removing the belt around his waist until she was shrugging off his lab coat. Once it was on the floor and Shego was running her hands up the black t-shirt he wore underneath, he stopped the kiss and simply looked at her. He didn't know why he was feeling a tad bit nervous. Maybe it was because he never knew Shego would actually be kissing him the way they'd been kissing each other, or that he'd find her beginning to undress him. He knew he wanted this, he knew Shego knew he wanted this and that she did too. And the more he thought of that, the more the nervousness eased away.

They were standing in the middle of her apartment when Shego wrapped her fingers around his wrists and began pulling his hands down her body. His eyes widened a little while watching his own hands and feeling everything Shego had underneath. And when he looked back into her eyes, the look she gave him was one that made every negative feeling inside him vanish. He didn't feel nervous anymore, not one bit.

Because they both wanted to, he pulled her green shirt over her head. She sighed as he softly pet her, and grasped some of his shirt in her hands so she could pull him into her room. They were kissing again, and when feeling a slight breeze she realized that her bra was gone also.

His mouth was firm but not demanding, his hands strong but not bruising. Her heart seemed to flutter in her throat when she felt the edge of her bed bump against the backs of her legs. Everything warm and sweet poured through her until she was limp and plaint in his arms. She had been waiting for this - this final assurance of what she knew he held trapped inside him. A gentleness she would respect as much as his strength and confidence in evil. Her sigh was not one of surrender but of joy and excitement in knowing she could admire what she already loved.

Drakken drew her closer, changing the angle of the kiss, reluctant to break the moment. Emotions seeped into him, through the cracks in the wall he had built so long ago. He felt the soft give of her mouth, tasted it's moist generosity. He let his fingertips reacquaint themselves with the texture of her skin as she pulled his own shirt over his head.

Could she have been there all along, he wondered, waiting for him to stumble onto her through a curtain of bitterness and suspicion? Drakken drew their bare chests against each other, holding her with both arms as if she might vanish again. Was it too late for her to be herself? Or for him to win a woman who already knew the worst of him and had no notion of his feelings? Finally closing his eyes, he sank into her.

Even if it was too late, should he take the chance and tell her what she meant to him before she belonged to another? If he told her now, he might never be fully certain if she came to him, that she came only to him. He needed that - to be taken for himself without his past or his power.

He could never tell her.

Shego, trying to hold in little sounds she knew would escape her mouth, sat down onto the edge of her bed, dragging Drakken down to his knees on the floor to kneel between her legs. Content, almost sleepy, she ran her fingers through his thick mane of hair as he slid off her jeans. His lips were on her chest and then her collarbone as his hands ran from her thighs to her lower back, up to her shoulders, and then down her arms. His kisses moved to her neck and then back to her lips as she pulled at the small blue holder at the back of his head, releasing his hair so she could touch it.

She hadn't been prepared for the sweetness of the kiss. His lips moved gently over hers. Their breath merged and matched rhythm. With light kisses he roamed her face, only to return over and over to her waiting mouth. To linger, to savor, to make each moment, each taste last. The fiery needs were banked by the simple knowledge that, at the moment, she was his to touch, to kiss, to love. For the first time in his memory, he wanted to bring a woman pleasure. He could give her that with the kisses that made his own blood thunder. He sensed she craved more, and used his hands also to arouse her.

Shego worked at the button and zipper of his pants, and once they were off he gently picked her up, and got on the bed himself. She felt the mattress on her back now, and Drakken hovering above. Opening her legs so he could rest between them, Shego put her hands around his neck and brought his face down to hers. He kissed the side of her neck, tantalizing her there with his lips and his tongue, and she moved her hands up and down his hard back, surprised from the muscle that seemed to be everywhere she touched. She didn't know who did it, but she felt their underwear was now gone. And when feeling him, all of him on her body, a hot serge shot through her hands.

She moaned his name, moving with him, moving for him, with mind and body tormented by dark, pulsing delights. Drakken heard his name come huskily through her lips and thrilled to it. Her energy, her wellspring of passion inflamed him, driving him to take her deeper before he took it all. The sweet taste of her made him greedy with desperate need.

Somewhere in the back of his clouded mind he knew he was no longer being gentle with her, but that need whipped at him. Shego had it too.

Madness came over them both. Their breath was heaving together as they battled each other for more skin, If she was capable of words, Shego would have demanded him to take her. Her world was spinning and her hands were warming at a terrifying speed, a speed far beyond the scope of her imagination. When his mouth crushed hers, she answered blindly.

And then she felt him inside her.

The flow of energy came from nowhere - a power, a strength that hurled her beyond the reasonable and into the impossible. One fed the other, driving higher and faster until Drakken felt a slight pain on the backs of his shoulders, and Shego an absolute release. They clung to it, shuddering. A green glow reflected the room, and only when he removed her hands from his back and onto the pillow above her head did Drakken gaze at her power. Her hands flared that familiar green, and Drakken watched her moan again, clenching her fists tightly.

He held her hands above her head as his mouth closed over hers in a deep, deep tongue kiss. She floated through the kiss, bathed in it, drank it and ate it, and didn't want it ever to stop. Her legs wrapped around him and he pressed her into the mattress with his weight. Their kisses had long ago lost their sweetness, becoming dark and desperate.

He continued to move, continued to make her moan and sigh. His breathing grew more ragged, and she arched her back to press her hips closer. Sweat broke out on their bodies, and suddenly his hands were all over her. Rough, clumsy hands - at her breasts and waist, on her hips and bottom, making her shiver. Her glow disappeared so she could touch him too, feeling his muscles constrict and his limbs move to please her. She did the same to him. And after a while, listening to her bed creak, hearing him groan and her growl softly, Drakken and Shego finally had their needs met, the great release consuming them both, and because they'd each went so long since their last time made it feel so very, very good. She shuddered underneath him, he whimpered above her.

Her glow illuminated the room once again during the release. And flickered with each pulsating throb and breathless pant. Drakken buried his face in her neck as they both waited for their breath to return.

And when Shego saw some red blotching his blue skin, she glanced at his back closely, watching it move up and down from his heavy breathing. Their was blood from the claw marks on the backs of his shoulders. They weren't bad, but Shego knew they were a little deeper than the regular scratch that tended to end up there on a man. Drakken didn't seem to care. He could only feel the stress flee from his body, the sweet after effects and Shego underneath him.

When her hands were no longer a danger to any other part of him, Shego held Drakken close after pulling the covers over them, just as he had with her the night of her nightmare.

The light green tint in Drakken's scratches Shego hadn't seemed to notice before faded as they regained their composure, and finally collapsed.

——————————————————————————————

How long he stayed still, Drakken was unsure. Perhaps he even dozed. When his mind began to clear, he stared up at the ceiling of Shego's bedroom.

He closed his eyes and thought about what he'd just done. He knew Shego lay beside him, naked, something he never thought would happen for as long as he lived. But here it was possible. He just slept with Shego. Not just literally this time, but figuratively as well. Slept with her while she was engaged to someone else.

For a moment longer he kept his eyes closed, wondering how it was possible to feel both low and exhilarated. When he finally opened his eyes, he turned his head to look at her.

She was asleep. He could tell by her steady breathing. She lay on her stomach, her head facing away from him, her hair flowing all around her. Without thinking about it, Drakken lifted an arm and traced one finger down the long line in the middle of her back. Her skin had been so soft and her lips so urgent. And even though he knew the good Shego would most likely return and still go through with the wedding, he just knew for certain that the old Shego, his Shego, was the one who was with him tonight. He could tell by the urgent movement of her hands, the demanding kisses and the small growls that escaped on long sighs.

He just didn't know what to do. He knew he loved Shego. Of course he did, because it was such a struggle to look at her the way she was now, so painful to know that she'd been locked inside something that had been created. And even though he loved her, he decided then that it was time to let her go. If something like what had just happened wasn't enough to convince her, then nothing would. He was sick and tired of feeling so down. He wanted to plan again, he wanted to invent and carry out schemes. He wanted to have Shego there to do all that with him, but it simply wasn't in the cards. He couldn't keep feeling this way and not have it lead to something even more horrible.

Drakken leaned over and pressed his face to her back, breathing her in while she was still this way, and kissed her there softly.

He wanted to stay, but he crawled out of her bed. He wanted to hold her while she slept, but he dressed himself. It was hard, harder than he thought it would be to leave. He wanted to softly wake her so he could hear her voice again.

Instead, he quietly left.

——————————————————————————————

When Shego woke, she was alone. Lifting the blanket to her still bare chest, she gazed down at the spot where she'd last seen him. She wondered if the scratches on his back were alright. She wondered if he got some sleep, or if he just left after she closed her eyes. Shego slid her fingers through her messy hair and wondered why he didn't stay.

Why was she asking herself that? She knew the answer.

She looked down at her hand and stared at the finger her ring was supposed to be around. She knew it was bad to feel relieved that it wasn't there, but she didn't care.

Her hands no longer ached. She could remember the exhilarating excitement she'd felt once her hands ignited, making the room shine with it's pretty green glow. Shego found that she'd missed it. She missed the power, she missed the superiority, she missed the confidence.

If she tried so hard to be good, so hard to be something she'd thought she wanted, then why were her old feelings creeping up behind her and shaking her roughly when she thought they were gone for good? Why was she feeling that some things were just wrong now, like her friendship with Kim Possible or the way she carried herself for months now? Why did Drakken bring out the worst of her, when before she'd always believed it was the best?

Maybe some things were never meant to be. Maybe everyone was right, and she was only kidding herself because of her old stubbornness that seemed to have stayed with her this whole time.

Was Steve Barkin's wife to be some accident that happened because of a misjudgment, or was she some sort of redemption from her past sins, something that would save her in the end from Dr. Drakken's sidekick?

Was she Shani Go or Shego?

It was best to just be herself. She only wants to be herself.

But which part of her was that exactly?

Hours later, Shego tried to punish herself for cheating on Stevie. She tried going over conversations she would have with him, she tried calling herself some obscene names to try to feel a little guilt. She tried to call Drakken up and tell him to leave her alone once and for all so she could start her life properly.

She tried to do all these things, and more. But in the end, Shego found that she just didn't care. She liked the sex. It had felt good, and there was nothing she could do to take it back. And even if there was, she wouldn't take it back. She had wanted it just as much as Drakken did. She had done a very bad thing that had felt so very good.

Trying to punish herself just wasn't going to happen because she honestly felt that there was nothing to be punished for.

So she accepted it.

**TBC**


	22. Accident

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 22**

**Accident**

**W**hen she'd been evil, Shego thought for as long as she'd known Drakken in a way she hadn't before that his mother was the most annoying, overprotective, braggy, and babying woman she'd ever met. She could remember the eye rolling from both herself and Drakken when his mother would go on and on about things that neither of them particularly cared about. Especially her bingo games and bus trips. She could remember the countless calls when she finally received the number to whatever lair they'd be in at the time, and she could still sigh now when thinking about it, because not all of the calls were for Drakken only.

She didn't think he knew, but Mama Lipsky called for her too. She would ask about her little Drewbie and how the radio show was coming along and that she still couldn't find the right station to listen in on. She even asked how Shego herself was doing. Shego always knew that Drakken's mother always thought they'd been a couple. Which was probably why so many calls came for her as well. And after a while, Shego grew exhausted after constantly trying to explain that they absolutely were not. So she let the old woman believe what she wanted. It was a little fun sometimes. She got to hear a lot of childhood stories about Drakken, and cousin Eddie as well, and she could remember smiling during some of them when her excuses to hang up ran out or were ignored.

And Shego could always remember that simply hanging up on his mother never seemed to happen at all. She didn't know why. And even if she mainly called Shego just because she thought she was with Drakken, it wasn't the only reason. Mama Lipsky called Shego because she liked her. And because someone like her seemed to care so much, even under false pretenses, Shego could never seem to hang up.

Yes, she mused. Drakken's mother definitely had been a little crazy when it came to her son. Annoying, overprotective, braggy, and babying. Enough to drive Shego absolutely insane.

Stevie's mother was worse.

Shego tried to keep the big, toothy smile plastered on her face as Mrs. Barkin sat next to her, flipping through the tenth - or was it thirteen? - wedding planners that were stacked all over the coffee table in front of them, and some even sinking slowly into her lap. The weight of the heavy books seemed to get worse and worse with every turn of the page or mark of the pencil.

Of course they'd have this, Pamela Barkin would chirp. These were the best. This would hold up the longest. The guests would love to eat these. She definitely_ must_ wear this in her hair.

Shego could feel the need to scream and the wanting to strangle her.

"I know how you young girls are today," Pamela said as she smiled sweetly at Shego. "Wearing your mother's or mother-to-be's wedding dress just isn't how things are done now. And there are so many different styles. I'm sure you can't wait to go scouting for one." She handed Shego a cup of tea she'd made after her son had so nicely dropped his bride off on her doorstep liked she'd asked him to for days now, and stared long and hard into the other woman's eyes. "But you seem to be a very nice girl, Shani. A very good and traditional girl. It would only be right for you to wear your mother's dress to your wedding… Or mine."

Shego swallowed hard, moving her eyes away from Pamela's and into the cup that had been thrust into her hands. "Uh…"

"I can call your mother right now if you'd just give me her number. I'd like for her to send me a picture of the dress so I can pick out the most perfect set of flowers for you."

"Ah, I don't think that's possible. My mother passed many years ago. And I actually have my flowers picked out already." Shego set the cup down. It smelled horrible and would no doubt taste even worse. She wasn't a fan of tea anyway.

"That's unfortunate about your mother." Shego watched her as she wrote something down into another notebook. Unlike Drakken's mother, Pamela Barkin was slim and tall. She was a rosy cheeked blonde who looked to be about fifty, and didn't seem to care in the least about Shego's loss. And also unlike Drakken's mother, she was a knockout. "I guess that just means you'll have to do with mine. I'm sure Stephen would appreciate it." The smile spread, and Shego had the feeling that Pamela already knew that she wouldn't have a wedding dress from her mother to wear. "I think it might be a tad bit too tiny for you. I used to be a model when I was a teenager, you know." She perched a set of elegant black framed glasses on her nose. "But that's what I have a Stair Master for. To get rid of those hips."

Shego jerked away slightly when Pamela pinched her side, and almost gagged at her snide chuckle. How unfortunate it would be if Shego just happened to bring up what she'd done with her former boss only a few nights ago. But she couldn't do that. It wasn't right. And Shego slightly shook her head to get rid of the thought.

"Now, you told me you already have flowers picked out?"

"Um, yes," she answered, a little bummed now that she still didn't feel any guilt for cheating. She'd come to her senses. All the things she told herself, things like how she wouldn't take it back and that she shouldn't be punished, it was wrong to think that. She cheated, and she needed to do whatever she could to make Steve happy and unaware. It was the right thing to do. "I was going to use hydrangeas."

"Out of the question."

"What?" She almost snapped it out, but Shego quickly coughed and righted herself. "But… why?"

"Stephen would prefer lilies. And so would I."

"But… how do you know what Stevie would prefer? I'm sure he doesn't care about the flowers. Besides, _I'm_ the one that will be holding them."

Pamela lifted one perfectly waxed eyebrow. "Dear, I'm a florist. A very _successful_ florist. If I say lilies would be best and if that's what my baby wants, then I don't think it'll be best for you to disagree." Shego watched her write in cursive _lilies _on one of her many lists, and then moved on to another one. "Now, if we can't get you thin enough to fit into my dress, then I'm sure I can find one similar to it. So I'll need your dress size. Shall we say a 7? Or maybe we should go for an 8." The chuckle was back. "Those darn hips of yours again. Pesky, aren't they?"

Shego took a calming breath as her fists clenched tightly, warming steadily and wanting to form into claws. She couldn't believe what she was thinking at the moment. Something she never thought would be a wish of hers. But Shego found that she'd rather take a week long vacation with Mama Lipsky in the middle of nowhere than spend one more aching minute in this woman's presence.

"You're right, Pam," Shego uttered, finding that her mouth was moving on it's own. "Maybe I should get my own dress."

Pamela cringed at the unwanted nickname but found herself smirking smugly with victory nonetheless. "I knew you'd see things my way. Some women just can't fit into a 3."

Shego stood and grabbed her purse before heading for the door. Her mouth and the voice coming out of it still acting on it's own. "I'm sure yours would just break on me." Shego sent her own smirk, one she hadn't formed in a while, to the other woman. "My bust size is much larger than yours."

Her look was priceless, one Shego reveled in. The stunned eyes/mouth agape expression was one of her favorites. Shego knew Pam had only brought up her dress to hurt her. And now as the older woman looked down pathetically at her extremely flat chest, Shego felt satisfied. Before she closed the door, Shego just had to add her last parting words.

"Some women just can't fit into a bra."

——————————————————————————————

Drakken sat on his couch, his lower back almost on the seat from his slumping, and his booted feet propped up on the table in front. The remote control to the television was in his hand, but he still had yet to switch it on. He stared at a blank screen and his own reflection, wondering why he'd let something like this happen.

Ever since his night with Shego he knew he was in a funk he was sure therapy could only cure. The last few nights had been some of his worst, and Drakken knew he'd had some pretty bad nights in the past.

He couldn't do anything right, or he couldn't do anything at all. He could only think, the energy to even turn the TV on so it could rot his brain never showed. He thought of Shego, he thought of his memories of her, and he thought of himself.

Was Shego thinking of him like he was thinking of her? Did she ever remember how they used to be, and all the fun times they'd shared when working together? Was he depressed, and if so, should he do something about it?

He'd been depressed before and made it out successfully, without the help of a shrink or pills. And he wouldn't need either now. But Drakken knew that the reason why he was depressed now wasn't because he felt he had no place in the world.

It was much worse this time.

He could still feel Shego's long hair as it ran through his fingers. He could still feel the heat of her hands and her mouth on his. He could remember every detail of what happened that night, but the one image that stayed with him the most was when her hands had flared, and he held them above her head while she moaned from the things he was doing to her. That was the real Shego, her true self. The one that was taken from her by a simple machine. And the one he was having so much difficulty getting back.

Once again, Drakken found himself hating the feeling of being in love.

At the sound of soft rattling and murmuring Drakken sat up and listened. He knew the voice better than he liked, and when he strained to hear the other, there was nothing. Only one was here tonight. That was good, he told himself as he set the remote on the table. He didn't think he wanted to deal with the other very much right now.

Kim Possible peaked inside, and once finding him, walked closer. She took careful steps. Not because she was afraid, but because she could tell he was upset and didn't really want to make things worse.

It was possible, she thought as she came closer to him, that he looked even more tired then he usually did. But every other time she came here after their truce was made she could still see the little glimmer of hope and determination in his eyes. Now, she couldn't see anything. Kim would think about this more when she was alone, but right now she wanted to talk to her arch foe.

"Hey," she said, and folded her hands behind her back when he just continued to sit there. Usually he had some snippy remark in store for her about how she just came and went as she pleased. Today, he had no greeting for her. Not even a mean one.

"I, um… I just wanted to check in with you. Just to see if you've found out anything. Or made any progress."

Progress? Drakken thought as he simply looked at the teen hero. He didn't know if he was making progress at all. Apparently not, because Shego still had yet to show her green face here. It was still the same. The old Shego would appear for a short while, even though the last time had been the longest yet, but whenever he saw her next, she was still just a fake. So no, he wanted to say but didn't feel like wasting the energy to talk. There was no progress. None that really mattered.

"We haven't made any progress either," Kim continued, feeling slightly awkward and just assuming that he'd been unsuccessful as well. "But… Wade did tell me that Shego has been making plans. Very _big_ plans." Kim hadn't known that Barkin had proposed to Shego until a few hours ago. And when she'd received the news, Kim couldn't help but feel a little… disgusted? Maybe that was the right word. She couldn't see someone like Shego being with someone like Mister Barkin for the rest of her life. He just didn't seem… right. And because Shego had made the decision as she was now, it seemed, to Kim, even more crucial to get her back. Marriage was a big deal, and Kim wouldn't let Shego ruin her life over a silly mistake.

"So I just wanted to tell you that--"

"I don't think I can do this anymore."

His words stopped her, stunning her and leaving her speechless. He'd moved his eyes away from her, and continued to slump on the couch.

"What? But I thought--"

He looked at her again, and Kim couldn't help but feel horrible from his state. She'd never seen Drakken this way, never seen him look this defeated and distraught. And she would know, because she was always the one to make him look that way before. But it never seemed to be this bad in the past.

"I'm done," he murmured, and breathed out a long and loud sigh. "It's useless. I know she's getting married. I've tried everything." He rubbed his face, not even bothering to keep a somewhat evil composure around her now. He couldn't find the need to care. He couldn't find the need for anything. "I know you've tried everything too. It's just… It's not working, Kim."

She could only stare. It wasn't everyday he used her name that way, like she was just any other person. It wasn't for mocking, or for orders, or for shock and anger. Just… Kim.

She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. She found herself stepping closer, not really knowing what she planned on doing. He was hurting, and it was mainly her fault. She felt guilty for his pain, something she never thought would happen. But here it _was_ happening.

When Drakken felt Kim lightly pat his shoulder, he didn't look at her. He wouldn't have known what to do or say, so he remained still and quiet. Never had he thought his arch foe would be trying to comfort him, but he knew what kind of person Kim Possible was. He wouldn't thank her for her help or tell her that she gave it a good try, and he knew she knew he wouldn't either. But because he let her softly pat his shoulder, she knew he meant what he couldn't actually say and accepted it.

He wanted to be alone, and Kim knew that. So when she left, the thought that their mission was pointless now seemed to be all too true. Drakken was right. It was no use. They really should just let Shego be now, let her live the life she'd tried so hard to explain to them that she wanted. Kim was tired of feeling guilty. She was tired of trying to come up with something else that would make Shego see. And she was just tired, period. Her complexion had retuned to normal. She didn't look older than her years anymore. She didn't feel sick. And maybe that should be enough for her.

When Drakken was alone he glared at his reflection in the television. He knew it felt better to feel angry than sad when you could actually feel your heart breaking. And he decided that it was right.

He lifted one of the couch pillows, and ripped it in half.

——————————————————————————————

After a while of walking and fresh air, Shego finally felt herself beginning to calm down. Since Steve had dropped her off at his mother's house she'd had no other means of escape, but she knew her way around this town, and the small bridge over the creek in the park where she would meet her brothers wasn't too far away.

Stupid, anorexic hag, Shego thought as she tried to calm her stomping. That woman was one of the most intolerable she'd ever met, and she'd been a villain before! She life was basically being an intolerable person, and Pamela Barkin had grinded her gears more than anyone in a long while.

_Her_ dress size an 8? Ha! She was a 5 and darn proud of it!

Shego stopped in mid stomp and stared ahead. What was wrong with her? She had to stop feeling like this. Stevie's mother had been extremely rude but she shouldn't stoop to her level. She'd had enough slips lately, and couldn't afford anymore.

Shego sighed as she resumed her walking, much calmer now, and knew she was only kidding herself. Again.

She was still so confused, still not completely sure which person she truly was. When she was having mean thoughts about people, she felt… less stressed. She couldn't really explain it, but she liked knowing she could get away with anything and not have to worry about the consequences. And when she was being nice and caring, doing good things and righting the wrongs, she felt…

What did she feel? Accomplished? No, that couldn't be it. Because it seemed like after everything she did now, there was always that one thought that would show her how she could do it better. And it usually ended up being the complete opposite.

She didn't really know what she felt, and wasn't too certain she liked that. She was still confused, and therefore still needed time to think.

The familiar bickering up ahead had her ears perking and her focus less wandering. At the sight of her brothers, she smiled. She knew it didn't reach her eyes, but wasn't that what she was supposed to do?

The Wego's were being their usual hyper selves. Mego was yelling at them, telling them that if they fell off the ledge of the bridge because of trying to walk from one end to the other, he wouldn't jump in after them in fear of ruining his new clothes. Hego, at the same time, was yelling at Mego for yelling at the twins because they were scaring off other children from the playground nearby, and that growing kids needed exercise now more than ever.

Shego had the sudden urge to sigh and rub her temples, fully knowing that in a few short minutes a migraine would no doubt form. But she shook her head and continued on towards them.

"Oh, Shego, thank god you're here," Mego said, and rubbed his poofy hair back. "These children are getting on my last nerve. Do you know what my blood pressure is like these days? And those three don't care one bit about my health. They continue to act like little monkeys." He sent Hego a glare as he crossed his arms. "And the other just looks like one."

"I do not look like a monkey," Hego defended, and grabbed the twins off the ledge before they fell down into germ-infested water below.

"You're right. It's more like a gorilla."

Shego had failed herself. She sighed and rubbed her temples. "Listen, boys, I think it's sweet that you wanted to see me before you left for Go City. Christmas was wonderful. So if you don't mind, we really need to make this quick. I have a wedding to plan."

She knew that it was kind of wrong to use the wedding you felt no excitement for as an excuse to get rid of your family. But she couldn't stop the words. Feeling like she should regret them, Shego gave them a smile.

After a few minutes of simple chatting and a few hugs, Mego left for some food - He was hungry and it was in everyone's best interest if his stomach was full - and the Wego's had joined him in hopes of getting ice cream. Hego had stayed, feeling like he should spend a few more minutes alone with his litter sister.

He could tell something was bothering her. Knowing someone in his family was upset had always been something that irked him. Being away from Shego for as long as he had made him a little clueless when trying to pinpoint what exactly was bothering her at first, but she was still his family, and that made him obligated to find out what was wrong.

"Something bothering you, Shego?"

"Hmm? Oh, uh… No. I'm fine."

Liar, he thought, and patted the railing of the bridge next to him. Once she was standing where he wanted her to, they both looked down into the creek and at their own reflections.

"You know, Shego, ever since you've turned over a new leaf things have been different."

She could see the fish swimming about in the water below. And as their little tails moved back and forth as they swam freely, her thoughts turned to Drakken. She didn't really want to be thinking of him. It only made her remember the night they had together. Which made her a little mad because she still didn't regret it.

She was one complicated woman.

"Well… Of course things have been different," she replied, resting her chin in one of her hands as she continued to watch the fish. "Why would you say that?"

"No reason. It just makes me think of when we were younger. You're a lot different now."

Because she felt like she had to do something, Shego softly began drumming her fingers on the ledge. Different, he said? Was she being different, or was it something she always wanted to be? Shego knew she had never been chipper until…

Until the accident. It was just an accident.

"I remember when you graduated High School. You set the Prom Queen's dress on fire as she was accepting her diploma."

Shego found that she had to press her lips close together to keep the smile from spreading. "Oh, uh… That poor thing." _That bitch_, she thought, and her eyes widened a little at the intrusion. _Everyone knew she cheated. Three of my votes happened to just magically disappear the night before prom. She deserved it._

It was hard for Hego to say the things he was. It was hard to destroy what he'd wanted for so long. But he knew his sister. When their parents had died both her and Mego were still very young. They all grew up together. And because he'd raised them for a time, he knew them just as well as they knew themselves.

Shego was having a hard time with that. And she wasn't happy. Hego just wanted her to be happy.

"And I remember the night when Electronique changed us. Boy, she really deceived us, huh?"

Deceived? Had she been deceived? Shego slowly turned her head to look at her brother.

"But, you know. It was just a misunderstanding. It's good that things are getting back to normal."

Why was he saying these thing? she asked herself.

Because he doesn't like this either.

The knowledge came from nowhere. He said things were getting back to normal, which meant that they weren't fully there yet. Was he trying to help, or was this really just pointless conversation? He continued to speak.

"That was a really evil thing she did to us. Nothing worse than becoming something you're not, and having to live with it. It makes everything so… confusing."

_A fake._ Drakken had called her that. All of the words he'd said, all the things he'd done. Every time she saw him and spent time with him now something would happen that she felt she had to regret. But feeling regretful just wasn't how it was supposed to be. She'd felt relieved. She'd felt better. She could remember all the snippy thoughts that she happened to think at odd times. She could remember all the things she'd done since turning her life around, things she thought were unacceptable. Like yelling at Bonnie, or wanting to hurt Junior for what he'd done to her, or mocking Steve's mother.

She'd thought she wanted to turn her life around. But it really wasn't her decision. It was what Kimmie had tried to tell her. What Drakken tried so hard to explain. If she really was the person she was today, then why was she trying to prevent her old actions from happening?

That wasn't right. It really wasn't her. But she needed to think some more. She needed more signs. Just to be certain.

"Hego," she murmured, and she waited for him to turn to face her. She couldn't read him. She had too much on her mind to do so. "Why don't you call me Shani?"

He shrugged carelessly, but she thought it meant more. It almost annoyed her that he was still so carefree and optimistic, and for reasons she was just beginning to understand. "Your name is Shego."

Was she Shani Go or Shego? She'd asked herself that the night Drakken had spent with her. And now, she could feel herself getting closer to the answer.

Everyone was right. Being with Barkin was what she was forced to become. And ever since Drakken had reentered her life, she was getting closer to who she was meant to be. He brought out the best of her. It wasn't the worst, she knew that now. The very best had been hidden away, and was slowly being rediscovered with every visit, every word, every touch. She was herself more with Drakken than with anyone.

_I want to be myself._

No, she corrected herself after leaving her brothers. She wasn't getting closer to the answer.

She was already there.

**TBC**


	23. Changing

**_Evil Divine_**

**Chapter 23**

**Changing**

**B**efore her brothers left to return to Go City, Shego got Hego to drop her back off at her apartment. She had to decline a trip for more ice cream, and going back to Go Tower for a few days, but after a while of explaining why she couldn't, Shego finally waved them off from her complexes parking lot.

She quickly trotted to her door. She didn't know exactly what she would do, but the need to be around her things, her old things, was almost desperate.

She'd decided. She finally decided what she wanted, and this time, she felt it was the right choice. This wasn't the life she was meant to live. And now she could understand that all her other thoughts, all her other wishes, was just something that the effects of a machine made her believe. It was an accident caused by an old foe, and Shego wanted to quickly mend the damage.

She wouldn't have to feel bad about just being herself. She wouldn't punish herself whenever she did something she thought had been wrong, when really it was so very right. Maybe it wasn't right for others, but it was who she was. And Shego vowed she would never, ever be anyone other than herself again.

But it would take time, she thought as she dug through her purse for her house key. Even though she'd made the right choice this time, and even though she would try to be the old person she was before, Shego knew she wasn't quite there. She could still feel the need to do good, to be what everyone was told was right. Her decision today wasn't going to just poof her back to normal. She didn't know what exactly she was going to do to fix that, but maybe something would come to her. Maybe she would get an idea when she started to actually except who she was. It had been too long, and it would take a while.

As she swung the door open with a big smile spread across her face, it vanished slowly as she looked at her visitor.

Steve Barkin was sitting on her couch, no doubt waiting for her to come home, and instantly stood when he saw her looking at him. He let out a big sigh, one of relief, and it was then Shego realized that he was going to pick her up from his mother's house.

"Christ, Shani, where have you been? Ma said you just stormed out and didn't know where you'd gone off too. I've been worried sick."

Shego wondered if he thought something else along the lines of what happened with Junior had repeated itself. She found herself feeling bad that she'd ditched his mother and hadn't bothered to get a hold of him when she knew he'd be picking her back up. It was only further evidence that getting back to being herself would take just a bit longer. And she didn't want that.

"Oh. Sorry." She willed herself not to think ahead, not to say what he'd want to hear. The words 'be yourself' were forcefully repeated in her head. Just say what you mean. "Your mother… She's not a nice woman."

Well, Shego thought as she mentally cursed herself, it was the best she could do for now. Willfully, that is.

"Of course she's not a nice woman, Shani." He stepped forward when she refused to, and wondered why she seemed so flustered all of a sudden. "She's tough. You can't go about life sugar coating everything. Who do you think molded me into the man I am today?"

_Gee, what an accomplishment_, she thought, and almost smiled. This felt good. It was right. "So, um… What are you doing here?"

Steve lifted a brow. "What am I doing here? Since when do I have to have an invitation from my future wife to enter her home? Besides, I've already spoken to the superintendent. In honor of our wedding he's ending the lease next week. Nice guy."

Shego could only stare at him for a few seconds. She knew she didn't want to live here anymore. It wasn't where she wanted to be, and she was planning on just leaving, without even bothering to speak to anyone. But the fact that he would do something like this, just _decide_ what she would do, angered her a little. She was through not deciding for herself. She was doing what she truly wanted now. "You spoke to my super?"

"Yes." He turned his back on her and headed for the kitchen. Shego had no choice but to follow, and watched him as he prepared the new coffee maker he bought for her for Christmas. "Not only am I here to make sure you got home safely, but I'm going to help you pack. You'll be moving into my home. An actual house and not this ruddy apartment."

Even though she knew it wasn't what she would normally do, Shego found herself trying to hold in the annoyance. Yes, she was annoyed that he went behind her back and was suddenly making plans for her. But this was who he was, and Shego knew that. And because she knew the kind of man Steve Barkin was, Shego suddenly realized that who he was would never match up well with who she was trying to relearn how to be. She couldn't marry him. Not only because she didn't love him, but because she was still so confused about someone else, someone who knew her better than Steve ever would.

So she would be patient with him, Shego decided. Because she was going to break his heart.

Steve poured his coffee as he continued speaking. "You're just throwing money away with rent anyway. Why rent when you can own? And you don't have another job yet, so you'll need the security I can give you."

"Listen, Steve…" Shego interrupted before he could say anything more. She wasn't in the mood for his harsh attitude right now. "I… I don't think I can do this."

He took a sip of his black coffee. "Do what? Move? Don't be silly, Shani. It's only natural for a wife to move in with her husband. Like I said before, throwing money away."

Shego rubbed her hair back slowly and sighed. "I'm afraid the wife part is what I don't think I can do." She saw him stop in mid-sip, and she saw that line between his eyebrows that appeared every time he was either angry or confused.

"What are you saying?"

She rubbed her lips together before answering. She'd dumped a lot of boyfriends in the past, but simply just saying it's over was a lot different now. She was still feeling the effects of the Attitudinator, so she was doing the best she could. "I'm saying I can't marry you."

Steve kept his eyes on hers as he set his mug down carefully, trying not to break it, and thought of all the options of why they were having this conversation in the first place. "You mean you're not ready for marriage? Shani… We don't have to get married if you don't want to. We can give it more time. I'm… I'm alright with that."

His stomach seemed to drop when he watched her slowly shake her head. And the first chest pangs came with her next words.

"I don't want to give anything more time. I… I don't want to be with you anymore."

His eyes widened a little and he actually felt his body flinch. She was leaving him? What had he done wrong? So many questions, and he couldn't find himself opening his mouth to ask them. So he said the only thing he could form at the moment. "What?"

She stepped forward because she felt like she had to, and wanted to set a hand on his shoulder. But she didn't, because she knew it wouldn't help in the slightest. "Steve… You and me?" She moved a finger between them. "We don't match. We're totally different people. And… I want what I thought we had together." She slowly looked down at her feet, because she didn't want to look at his stunned face anymore. "I just want it with someone else. Someone who knows me."

When he refused to say or do anything, Shego calmly walked into her bedroom. After a few minutes of rummaging, she returned. Steve didn't think he could feel any worse than he already did. But she lifted his hand, and dropped something small on his palm. He looked down to see what it was.

Her engagement ring. And now he felt terrible. How did he not notice she wasn't wearing it in the first place? She curled his fingers around it, and he looked down into her eyes since they were staring back up at him.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and softly patted his hand. "This isn't what I want."

A few minutes later, Steve Barkin left her apartment. Shego knew she felt bad for him, that he just lost who he thought to be the love of his life. But feeling responsible for his agony was something she didn't feel.

She figured it was a big step for her.

Going over to the counter she picked up his forgotten cup of coffee and poured what was left down the drain. And going over their conversation, she figured she'd done the right thing. She didn't purposely hurt him, but carefully explained. She knew he'd find someone else, someone who was a lot better for him than she was. And while thinking of that, something she'd said before repeated itself in her mind.

_I just want it with someone else. Someone who knows me. _

There was only one person who knew her so completely. Only one person who could make her feel the way she wanted to feel. Someone she knew would accept her the way she was.

She couldn't just wait for her old feelings to come and stay. She couldn't do this by herself. And there was only one person that wanted her back to normal as much as she did.

Without thinking any further, she left her apartment in hast.

——————————————————————————————

Shego bounced in her car as she drove over a thick yellow speed bump, the front and back of her Neon making a slight crash as it came down on the road. Their were no parking spaces - they'd never needed them - so she stopped the car when she couldn't wait any longer, turned it off, and exited.

It was dark now. The drive had taken about 20 minutes, and it had gotten colder as the sun had set. As she trotted up to their door, she slipped into her green Club Banana jacket, and smiled. Even though it smelled faintly of cheese, which was why she quit wearing it years ago but never managed to get rid of it, she still loved the feeling of the leather along her skin. The cheese smell was a good reminder now instead of the frustration she'd felt before, one she would appreciate.

Shego knocked when she finally reached the door, and waited. She knew he wouldn't be expecting anyone in particular, and could picture him looking through the peephole, most likely expecting it then to be someone he wouldn't really care to see. She wondered what he would do when he saw her standing there. And as she waited some more - he probably didn't hear her the first time so she knocked again - she wondered how exactly he would feel.

She knew she'd hurt Drakken. She could tell every time he came to see her, and the way his face looked when he'd discovered her ring. She really was the only constant in his life that he actually wanted around, and to see her evade all that she was had to have been extremely painful. When she'd disappeared and stayed that way, he had been stuck without a sidekick, without an assistant, without the one person he confided in the most. Without a friend. And finding her the way she had been was, in Drakken's mind, a big slap in the face. That was bad enough. But what made it worse was the fact that after working together for so long, Shego understood now that they were something more without even realizing it.

She could still taste his mouth on hers, still feel his hands as they roamed her body in all the places that would go untouched for so long. She could remember how gentle - and then not so gentle - he'd been with her. His needs completely overpowered what he knew, and yet he still took and gave to her. She could even remember her own needs. She thought before that the only reason she felt the way she did was because there was still some of that unwanted attraction inside her, that it was only more of her old self emerging through. But as Shego thought and thought, losing track of time as she did, it wasn't only attraction she felt.

It was attraction for her old boss. And it was desire, and everything she did and didn't feel when she'd been with Steve. She cared about Drakken in more ways than one. It was probably why she'd always returned to him after she told herself she could do better elsewhere. They were different, and yet they were the same. And maybe that was all she ever needed in her life.

She'd hurt Drakken because he felt the very same thing she did at this very moment. Maybe it had been there a lot longer. She wasn't too sure now. But she wanted to make things right. And the only way she knew how to make it up to him would be to become who had been lost. But she would need his help to do that. And something told her that he would give it.

When the door still remained closed, Shego carefully knocked again.

"Dr. D?" she called, and reached for the doorknob in the process. Turning it, she pushed the door back, and was surprised to find it unlocked after Drakken had scolded her before for the very same thing. Stepping inside, she found the Middleton lair pitch black. Knowing there was a light switch next to the door, she flipped it, and watched as the lights blinked until staying on completely.

"Dr. D!"

She walked further inside, looking around to catch a glimpse of anything. She checked in every room, but Drakken hadn't turned up in any. The place was deserted. He was gone.

Shego quickly rummaged through her purse and whipped out her cell phone. She knew his number by heart, and dialed.

Maybe he was just home, she told herself as she listened to the repeated rings. Maybe he'd given up on her and decided to return to the Caribbean lair. It would make sense, she thought with regret. She had told him countless times that she wasn't coming back, and now that she'd made her choice to return, she couldn't find him anywhere.

No answer. He wasn't at home either.

Shego growled softly in frustration. For God's sake, they had tons of lairs! She couldn't possibly remember the phone numbers to all of them. Actually, she only knew the Caribbean lair phone number. She knew Drakken had given her a list forever ago, but it must have gotten lost in one of the many moves… Or maybe she just didn't care. _Gah!_

How was she supposed to find him now? It was important that she did. She needed her old life back more than anything. She'd been away from it for so long. And she didn't have any means of finding him like she used to when she'd worked for him.

Shego frowned and tried to think. She desperately needed to find Drakken, but how could she do that when she had nothing?

An idea came to mind, one that made her a little uncertain at first, but all uncertainties were pushed aside. It seemed Drakken wasn't the only person she needed help from. Dialing again, Shego waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

Shego didn't speak for a few seconds, and kept the frown on her lips. She wondered if she would be given the help she needed, considering what had happened to their friendship. She wondered if their old feelings for each other were enough, and hoped that was so. If not, she didn't know what she would do.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

Shego coughed and finally found her voice. "Um… Yeah. It's me."

"Shego? What's wrong?"

Shego rubbed her lips together, a habit she was beginning to hate since it showed her nervousness, and knew she would have to explain everything that had happened. It was the only thing she could think of, but knew it would be worth it in the end.

So she would tell Kim Possible everything. And hoped she would come through for her.

Shego had a feeling she would.

**TBC**

**A/N: I'm sad to say that there will be only one more chapter until **_**Evil Divine**_** is finished. So I'm going to state my news here instead of the next one because I feel like it. Thank you to all my reviewers. I don't think I could have updated almost every week since this thing began if it wasn't for you, and I fully appreciate all your lovely compliments and caring words. I never expected this story to have so many fans, and you've made this experience 50 times better. Hugs and kisses to you!**

**A very big thank you to Mego ZT who went over my outline for this story with me. He has Kim Possible fics on here too, and everyone should check him out. Thanks, Mick!**

**And a surprise for everyone! I might take a break from writing after the next and final chapter, but knowing me, it won't be very long at all. So after this small itty bitty break, I will be starting a new Kp story! Yes, it will be another D/S. Yes, Shego will be staying evil in the next one (haha). Yes, I will stop torturing you all with gag-worthy Shego/Barkin and Miss Go. Any other questions, feel free to ask. I hope you all are as excited as I am, and thanks again, lovelies! Muah!**


	24. Real

_**Evil Divine**_

**Chapter 24**

**Real**

**T**hey still couldn't find him. And it surprised everyone.

Normally when Kim would have Wade track Drakken down it would only take two or three days, and some times even less than that. Some times it took only hours, and Team Possible would be on their way to stop him from whatever he'd be doing at the time. It took effort on Wade's part even during normal times, but it had never been like this.

It was coming up on a week since Shego had called Kim and told her what she needed. Almost 7 days since they began their search for Dr. Drakken, and nothing useful had come up. Even Wade was shocked when he came up empty, which only drove him to work harder. They'd checked every lair they knew of, and every lair they didn't - courtesy of Shego - and yet, he was still nowhere to be found. Shego had even called his mother, and afterwards spent almost an hour calming her down because no one knew where her precious son was.

The night Shego had called her, Kim had been surprised. After Drakken had told her it was pointless to keep trying to bring her back Kim had given up as well. She'd believed what he said, and came to the conclusion that soon Shego would be married to Mister Barkin and living her life the way she'd stated she wanted. Everyone had done everything they could, and they'd decided that they shouldn't waste more time on the useless.

But it hadn't been useless after all. Kim discovered that Shego had the inner battle they were all hoping for, and it was in everyone's favor. Shego was wanting to return, and told her and Ron that she wanted Drakken to be the one to help her do just that.

But the longer it was taking them to find him, the longer it would take her to get back to normal. And that wasn't good for anyone.

And since it was taking so long and even Kim Possible's genius kid wasn't having any luck finding him, Shego was beginning to worry. She knew Drakken had feelings for her, and yet she'd turned him away so many times. They'd been close before all of this, when they'd still been partners and friends on a strange level, but now that their were actual _feelings_ in the mix as well, and on both parts now, Shego hoped and hoped that nothing terrible had happened to him. After everything they'd been through, they deserved some happiness. She'd thought she had it before, but now she knew she'd been very, very wrong.

The week since their search began had passed, and Shego was sick with worry. She didn't tell anyone about her anxiousness, but figured it was obvious in her lack of sleep and faint dark circles under her eyes. After two more days, Kim showed up at her apartment.

"We found him."

Shego tried not to sigh loud enough for Kim to hear, but couldn't stop the relief that spread. "Is he okay?"

Kim nodded, and gave Shego a comforting smile. "I talked to him myself. He's meeting us at my house tonight."

Shego felt she needed to hide her excitement from Kim, so she just nodded and tried to play it cool. Inside, she was relieved and ecstatic. "So… what did he say when you told him?"

"Well, he didn't believe me at first. He actually yelled at me for a while." Because Shego was walking away and heading for her bedroom, Kim followed. "But after a while of explaining and explaining, I finally got through to him. Once we made the arrangements he disconnected, and that was all."

So this would be it, Kim thought as Shego pulled a big box out of her closet and began rummaging through it. This would be their last night as something along the lines as friends. She knew for a fact that she wouldn't see her again until she was back to who she used to be, and Kim wondered if she was truly okay with that. They'd had a wonderful friendship while it lasted, even if it had been under false pretenses.

She watched as Shego applied her old black lipstick, the same shade she'd worn for years and during the week that had gone by since she'd made her decision. And after a few minutes, Kim knew that she was okay with it. She'd rather have the old Shego back than this copy a few feet away, and decided that everything would be just fine. She'd help her future enemy one last time, and before she knew it, it would be back to the old punches and kicks.

And as Ron had told her before, she'd mean them.

"I guess we should be going now. It's dark already."

Shego went through her box some more. "Give me a few minutes." Kim saw her pull something from the bottom of the box, and gaze at it before speaking again.

"I want to change into something more comfortable."

——————————————————————————————

As the time went by Shego was rediscovering things about herself, the person she was meant to be. She found that she was growing impatient as the clock in Kim's kitchen ticked and ticked, and she could do nothing but wait and wait.

Had he changed his mind? she wondered, and drummed her fingers steadily on the table. Had he decided that she wasn't worth it and wouldn't show up?

She knew she would be work. It would take a lot of time and patience on both their parts to remove the effects of Jack Hench's Attitudinator from her body and mind. But Drakken loved challenges, didn't he?

So yes, she told herself as she stood and walked to the window that looked out at the front yard. He had to come. It was what he wanted, what he tried so hard to accomplish. He couldn't just leave her like this, and he wouldn't. She had to believe it.

She saw a shadow on the wall and turned around to see Kim walking up to her. Ron was in the living room watching wrestling as they all waited, and Shego noticed that they were wearing their mission outfits. She liked the old mission clothes better, but purple really was Kim's color. She had an urge not to tell the teen that, and trusted it.

"He gets sidetracked a lot," Shego stated as she turned her head back to look out of the window again, hoping to spot a sliver of silver and blue in the darkness. "That's probably what happened."

Kim came to stand next to her, and looked out at the evening sky. "This is what you want."

It wasn't a question, and Shego noticed that. Another day, she knew she'd be embarrassed that she had been the very last one to figure that this was, in fact, what she really wanted. It may have taken Kim a little longer than necessary, but in the end it was the fact that she did discover what was right. And Shego figured that was all that mattered. If not, than she wouldn't have the help she had right now.

"Yes," she answered quietly. "This is what I want."

After a few minutes, Kim left the kitchen and returned to Ron. And Shego was left alone again to wait. She didn't know how many times she checked the clock, but an hour had passed, and Shego was beginning to have doubts that he would show once more.

And then Kim peaked inside the kitchen, and told her that he'd arrived. Finally.

The three of them - Kim, Ron, and Shego - all stood outside at the front door as they watched him land the sliver hover car at the end of her driveway about 40 feet away. Kim figured the reason why he hadn't landed closer was because he didn't want to have the reunion right in front of her, and she respected that. Shego stood in the middle of the two hero's and watched as Drakken jumped out, and stood by the hover car.

He looked and he waited, just staring at them. And Shego couldn't take it anymore.

"Dr. D!" she yelled from across the distance, and began taking small steps forward. She kept her eyes on him, and when he refused to move, she knew she had to get closer to him fast.

So she began to run to him, yelling for him as she did.

"Dr. D!"

Drakken watched as she ran, and wondered again since speaking to Kim Possible earlier if this was all a dream. But the closer Shego got, the faster his heart pounded. She was here, he thought as she got closer. She was really coming back to him. And as he looked some more, he noticed something else. She was wearing her green and black jumpsuit.

Shego worried as she got closer. He still ceased to do anything but stare at her, and she wondered what she could do to get some kind of reaction out of him. She didn't care if Kim and Ron were watching, she didn't care if she looked like a fool. She just wanted to be reassured. So she did the only thing she could think of.

Her hands fired up and glowed brightly through the dark as she got closer. It felt so good throughout her body she almost screamed. How could she have denied herself this feeling of power for months and months? How could she have locked away what she was, and tried to be something she hated?

At the sight of her glowing green hands Drakken held his arms out to her. They weren't threatening this time, but they were perfect in every way.

"It's me, Dr. D!" she yelled, and finally jumped into his waiting arms.

They held each other tightly as her glow eased away. But this time, both of them knew they would see it again. It was only a matter of time before they saw her power again.

Just once, she promised herself as she melted against him. Just one more time of showing her feelings in front of Kim Possible, her feelings for her boss. How could she have known her life had such a void in it? She'd tried to close the door on the part of her life that included Drakken, though she'd known it wasn't possible. She tried to tell herself it was only evil passion and free fancy, but she'd known it was a lie. There'd been no other man, only memories of one. And secret wishes, half-forgotten dreams.

Kim and Ron watched as the two loaded up into the hover car and flew off, not one wave or parting word from either Drakken or Shego. The teens found that they wouldn't have wanted anything more. Things would be normal again. Some time in the future they'd have their arch foe's back, and everything would be as it should.

"There is a bright side to all of this," Ron chirped after a while, and wrap his arm around her shoulder. "I can't think of anything right now because I'm hungry, but it has to be a good one."

Kim smiled and leaned against him. She didn't need Shego as her friend, she told herself as she kissed her boyfriend's cheek. She only needed this. She wished Drakken and Shego luck as they finally disappeared into the night sky.

"I guess some people never really change," she said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The door exploded and they ran through. They only had just a few minutes until the oceans would heat drastically, causing a main food source to die out and major problems for the world. It wouldn't happen. Not while they were still around.

Kim Possible was mad. Not only because in just a few short minutes whoever was swimming at the beach at the moment would be terribly scorched, possibly worse, but because important things had been interrupted because of this.

The main one had been her honeymoon.

Loud laughter boomed through the tower, and Kim glared up at the cause of it all.

"Not this time, Kim Possible!" Dr. Drakken yelled as the huge circular machine behind him roared to life. "My new and improved Magmachine will heat every ocean to volcanic status, leaving the world no choice but to surrender to me!"

Kim watched Ron run across to where Drakken was, and hoped that he found some way to turn something off. Her husband had a knack for that sort of thing. Even after all this time.

It had been a few years but he'd finally resurfaced. Dr. Drakken was back in the game, and definitely starting things off with a bang. Wade was still running her website, and when he'd informed her that Drakken was planning something big it was a shock to all. A very angry shock, since her wedding had been just yesterday, but the more Kim thought about it the more she came to the conclusion that maybe her arch foe had planned for it all to happen on this day. Now, she had no doubt.

When Ron still hadn't managed to do anything useful Kim bolted to where Drakken stood. And when she was stopped, it was expected.

And it brought a smile to her face.

"Hey there, _Kimmie_. Long time," Shego taunted as her hands flared, and her body dipped into a very familiar battle pose. "Going somewhere?"

It was her first time seeing Kim in so long, and Shego looked at the changes. Kim was older, and different. She'd finally grown into her body - something she could use to pick on her later - and her hair was longer. When her and Dr. D had read of the wedding between Kim Possible and her dopey sidekick, they'd smirked, and knew it would be the perfect time to threaten the world again.

Shego had changed to, Kim saw as she lifted her hands for battle. Both her and Drakken had aged, but not enough for someone who didn't know them the way she did could notice, and they'd both aged well. Shego's eyes were brighter from what she remembered. She was more alive and vibrant.

Drakken had done well. He finally did something right and not have it backfire on him. She could tell they were both happy.

Just as Kim was about to rush Shego, she looked at the green woman's hand, and noticed a small circle of gold around her finger through the green flames. It was over her gloves, something that confused Kim a little, and yet it ceased to burn. A thought occurred to her, and Kim spared a quick glance at Drakken.

He had the same ring of gold.

Kim didn't know what she felt in the middle of everything going on at the moment, but knew now that her and Ron weren't the only married couple here.

She looked back at Shego, but her eyes wandered from her green eyes and back onto the ring. She just couldn't believe it…

Shego caught sight of what she was looking at and scoffed. "Yeah, we did it," she scolded and stepped closer to the hero in warning. "So _what_?"

The hero and villain raced to each other, ready to fight, and Shego felt the exhilarating excitement she'd craved for so long. Everything was right now, she told herself as she heard Drakken laugh again. Even if they didn't win, they'd go home to their new main lair in Iceland and start again, just like he told her they would. And maybe, just maybe, she would gather up the courage and pride to finally tell Drakken she loved him. Why else would she have married the big goof two years ago?

Her life was finally the way it was supposed to be. Shego and Kim slammed into each other, fists and claws flying as the insults and growls came. She was finally herself again. It had taken a while and a lot of work, but it had most definitely been worth it. Everything was simply divine.

Evil had never felt so good.

_**The End**_


End file.
